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2008 Assam serial blasts
Location	Assam, India
Date	October 30, 2008
Attack type	18 Bombings
Deaths	48
Injured	300

2008 Assam serial blasts occured on October 30, 2008, before noon in markets in Guwahati and around the province. Reports indicated as many as eighteen bombs went off, causing at least 48 deaths and 300 injuries.

This attack also occured in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's constituency of Assam.

Background

This was third major attack in the Indian seven sisters within the last month. It is also the biggest attack in the history of the insurgency racked province that has seen multiple smaller attacks, with no casualties, this year alone.

The attack follows the killing of five militants, all alleged to be cadres of the outlawed ULFA, in an encounter at Shantipur Mohinagaon village under the Dhamdhama police station in Nalbari district of Lower Assam five days ago. Lt. Col. Rajesh Kalia, PRO at the Army's Four Corps headquarters at Tezpur, said the encounter occured when the Army, along with the CRPF carried out a joint operation after a tip-off that the had taken shelter in the village.

A separatist insurgency has engulfed Assam for decades, while communal clashes between indigenous tribes and Muslim Bangladeshi settlers this year have left at least 47 people dead.

Bomb attacks

Union Minister Shakil Ahmed confirmed 10 blasts took place, however, reports did indicate the number could have been as high as eighteen. The blasts ripped apart Guwahati, Barpeta, Bongaigaon and Kokrajhar.

The explosions in Guwahati ripped through Pan Bazar, Fancy Bazar and Ganeshguri, which were crowded with shoppers and office goers. Three blasts were also Kokrajhar, with another possible grenade explosion; two in Bongaigaon and one in Barpeta. Indian media outlets pointed out that the blasts took place just after the Diwali holidays making the blasts even more unexpected and adding to a toll count. The bomb at Ganeshguri was planted in a car and took place about 100 meters from Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi's official residence.

Police officials added that huge amounts of explosives like RDX or other plastic explosives, like C45, have been used as a fire erupted immediately following the blasts. Timers were also speculated to have been used to execute the blasts, which were seen with timing almost to perfection as the blasts took place within a short span of 15 minutes. It was further speculated, after investigations were initiated, that motor bikes may have been used. However, Assam police chief RN Mathur also said most of the bombs were "planted in cars."

Immediately following the attack the Government of Assam issued a high alert and called out paramilitary forces to control a potentially volatile situation.

Immediate consequences

Following the blasts, angry crowds clashed with police in some areas of Guwahati. Some people were injured in the clash and, at one point, police had to fire in the air to disperse an angry mob. It was also reported on the television media that mobs were hampering efforts by police and the fire brigade to clean up after the blasts. The mobs were seen attacking police and fire equipment. A Curfew had been imposed in Guwahati and some other cities of Assam following the serial bomb blasts. It was also reported that members of the Assamese diaspora trying to contact relatives following the blasts faced jammed telephone networks, making it impossible to get information of the region. This was probable to be a problem within the area as well.

Perpetrator

Union Minister Shakil Ahmed hinted that communal riots in Assam for the past several days could be inter-linked to the attacks. He said that the politics of hate was a plausible reason behind the attacks.

Though the Assam government said it was too early to reach a conclusion on the perpetrators, Assam's Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said: "It is very early to make a conclusion but ULFA has a history of triggering serial blasts." To corroborate this speculation the intelligence officials said the separatist ULFA was responsible for the blasts. This follows most fighters in one of the ULFA's elite strike battalion having previously announced a ceasefire with the government, with the security services have used the lull to attack and killed many other ULFA fighters in the weeks preceding. A faction that did not agree to the ceasefire was said to be responsible for the blasts. Assam police chief R N Mathur added that "So the Ulfa is striking back in a massive way by taking on soft targets. No other group can trigger so many blasts in so many places in such a coordinated fashion."

References

1. ^ "Serial blasts in Assam, 40 dead, 200 injured". Times of India. October 30, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
2. "Assam serial blasts: 25 dead, over 140 injured". Indian Expres. October 30, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
3. "Serial blasts in Assam, 20 dead, 100 injured". Times of India. October 30, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
4. http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=57515&Itemid=2
5. Headline News. October 30, 2008. 13:00.
6. ^ News X. October 30, 2008. 13:30
7. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Five-ULFA-militants-killed--claim-security-forces/378235
8. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/30/india-terrorism
9. ^ "Curfew imposed in Guwahati following blasts". IBN Live. Oct 30, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
10. ^ http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=53493
11. ^ http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=146609
12. http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/panic-grips-assamese-in-delhi-after-assam-serial-blasts_100113031.html
13. http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/FB59BF7052A23315652574F2002FBB42?OpenDocument

• Current events from October 2008
• Terrorist incidents in 2008
• 2008 in India
• Assam
• Terrorism in India since 2001