Blast in Guwahati - 7 dead, more than 50 injured

Seven people killed and more than 50 injured, eight of them in critical condition, when a powerful bomb exploded next to Maligaon city bus stand in Maligoan Chariali area in Guwahati on Monday afternoon. Several students are among the injured, as the Maligaon Primary School is situated next to the bus stand. Police blamed the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) for the attack and said it took place in the busy Maligaon area in Assam's main city Guwahati at around 1.45pm.

Several motor cycles were gutted in the fire at the blast site. "The bomb was planted on a parked motorcycle," senior police official GP Singh said. "The blast comes a day before the ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) marks its 30th foundation day and we had intelligence inputs about the group planning some attacks in the city," he added.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to address an election rally for the ruling Congress party in Dibrugarh. The area was packed with people when the explosion occurred.

"Among the injured were several schoolchildren who were returning home," said Debajit Das, who witnessed the explosion. The injured have been shifted to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital. A year old infant collapsed at the GMCH premises.