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Powerful explosion at Mising Festival in Jonai: 4 dead, 55 injured

Four people died and more than fifty injured while a powerful blast rocked a Mising cultural festival in Jonai in Upper Assam on Saturday midnight. Although ULFA is believed to be behind the incident the banned insurgent outfit refuted the charge saying a section of the people has been trying to slap bad name on them.

There was big flutter at the blast site while three people namely Kabita Sonowal, Somesh Sutradhar, Shahjahan Ali dead. The severely injured people numbering more than fifteen have been rushed to the Assam Medical College Hospital and Bina Pegu died on the way to the AMCH by boat.

Top ranked police official arrived on the spot and began relief and rescue operations. Other injured people were admitted to the nearest hospital and some people with minor injury were released after primary treatment. Police suspect it to be an act of ULFA which is observing its Military Day on Sunday.

Meanwhile, various organizations, political parties and individuals have vehemently condemned the blast terming it as an act of cowardice.

This entire blast has reminded the people of the massacre of as many as 14 children while they were thronged to participate in the Independence Day festival in Dhemaji town in 2005.

Meanwhile, ULFA has straightly denied its involvement in the incident. A statement issue on Sunday by ULFA major Raju Baruah said the outfit is not against the interest of the Mising people to disrupt the cultural function on Saturday midnight. Baruah further charged a section of the people with blaming it all on ULFA for this tragic incident.

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