Panic in Assam after 2 blasts hit market, 2 injured

Panic prevailed in the crowded Fancy Bazar locality of Guwahati following twin blasts that rocked the area on Saturday.

According Commissioner of police Mukesh Agarwal, some rag-pickers had set some of their waste materials and scraps in a dustbin on fire to clean them for sale. It is suspected that there were explosive materials in the scraps and waste materials. Two rag-pickers were injured in the blast. “We have arrested one of the rag-pickers who was trying to flee soon after the blast,” the police said while ruling out the possibility of any militant groups’ involvement in the incident.

Security sources said there was no sign splinter in the blast and rag picker had only burn injury. Indicating that it may be cracker that went off, security sources said that blasts took place in waste materials near a dustbin.

The blasts occurred around 3 pm within three minutes of each other at the commercial hub at Fancy Bazar area of the city. The Fancy Bazar area has a high concentration of Hindi-speaking traders.

On December 1, Ulfa (I) militants opened fire at Hindi-speaking workers at a stone crushing plant at Namrup in Dibrugarh district in which two persons were injured. Panic gripped the market following closure of shops as soon as the news of the blast flashed.