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Two blasts rock Assam ahead of PM's visit

April 19, 2012 23:44 IST

Suspected militants belonging to proscribed United Liberation Front of Assam, anti-talks faction, triggered two powerful blasts in upper Assam areas late Thursday night on the eve of the 12-hour bandh called by the outfit on Friday in protest against Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's visit to the city.

One of the blasts occurred on the railway track between Bhoju and Longpotia stations in Sivasagar district that forced railway authorities to control Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express at Tinsukia station while Intercity Express has been controlled at Sapekhati station.

Another blast was detonated by suspected ULFA militants at a power station at Kolakhowa in near Jorhat city in Upper Assam. No one was injured because of the blasts, though a pilot engine of the railway had a close shave on the blast on the railway track.

Police claimed that the blast at the power station is may be due to technical reasons. However, sources in Assam State Electricity Board ruled out technical snag as cause of the blast.

K Anurag in Guwahati