GUWAHATI, Aug 16 ? The 58th Independence Day celebrations turned out to be a tragic incident for Assam as at least 14 persons, mostly women and schoolchildren were killed and about 40 others were injured in a bomb blast in the Dhemaji College playground where the Dhemaji district administration was celebrating the Independence Day. The State Government today observed State mourning to pay respect to the departed souls of those killed in the incident, while the Superintendent of Police and Additional Superintendent of Police of the district have been placed under suspension and the Deputy Commissioner has been transferred out.
The tragic incident occurred at 8.55 am, just five minutes ahead of the scheduled time of hoisting of the National Flag, when a bomb planted near the gate of the college field exploded. The blast was so powerful that it caused a large crater in the spot where it exploded. According to information available, the district administration had directed the school authorities to bring their students to the ground for the Independence Day celebrations and the bomb exploded at a time when the students and teachers of the schools and the teachers were passing through the gate.
Though no militant outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the blast, Police claimed that it was the handiwork of the ULFA. The outfit was involved in several acts of violence in different parts of the State in the run-up to the Independence Day celebrations and yesterday also, a bomb exploded in Dhakuakhana at around 8 am. But fortunately, no one was injured in the incident. But the blast at Dhakuakhana failed to ring the alarm bells in Dhemaji and the police failed to take adequate preventive measures to protect the lives of the innocent women and children.
The district witnessed a chaotic scene after the blast and for quite some time, no one was sure about the exact number of casualties. The killing of innocents also resulted in an emotional outburst among the people who vent their ire against the administration and police for their failure to protect the lives of innocents. The people gheraoed the DC and SP and several Government vehicles were damaged. The police resorted to blank firing and fired tear gas shells to disperse the angry mob. The Minister of State for Home, Rockybul Hussain and the Director General of Police PV Sumanth rushed to Dhemaji in a helicopter to take stock of the situation and the vehicle of legislator Dilip Kumar Saikia, in which Hussain went to the Dhemaji civil hospital, was also damaged when some angry persons pelted stones. The people demanded immediate steps against the police and district administration authorities for their failure to protect the lives of children and women and Hussain later announced the decision to suspend the SP and Additional SP. The bodies of those killed were handed over to the family members after post-mortem examinations.
Four of the seriously injured persons are shifted to the Assam Medical College hospital in the helicopter on which Hussain and the DGP had flown to Dhemaji, while, the other injured persons were admitted to the Dhemaji civil hospital.
The situation in Dhemaji is still tense and the local units of the AASU have given a call for Lakhimpur and Dhemaji district bandh today. The bandh was a spontaneous one and all sections of people peacefully observed the bandh to register their protest against the dastardly killing.
The local MLA, Dilip Kumar Saikia, who is also the general secretary of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), strongly condemned the dastardly act, and said that no word is strong enough to condemn it. He also demanded resignation of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for the failure of the State Government to protect the lives of innocent women and children. He said that the incident occurred due to a serious security lapse and the Government should order a judicial probe into the incident. ?The Chief Minister has been claiming that the law-and-order situation in the State improved but the incident proved that the Government?s claims were not based on facts,? he added.
Our Dhemaji correspondent reports: Those killed in the incident have been identified as Manasi Borgohain (13), Namita Gogoi (20), Rupa Saikia (14), Karuna Saikia (12), Juganta Padun (14), Dinesh Padun (13), Dhanada Gogoi Deuri (30), Chitrawati Gogoi (24), Bijit Sonowal (18), Siddhartha Taid (10), Manjit Gogoi (14), Uddipta Gogoi (10) and Girin Saikia (14).
The injured ones include Pami Missong, Dibya Missiong, Nitumani Gogoi, Sumi Konch, Tutumani Baruah, Nikumani Narah, Ajit Bordoloi, Karab Konch, Pinky Dutta, Anita Kalita, Babul Konwar, Jonali Bordoloi, Jonali Hajong, Dhrubajyoti Basumatary, Pranati Buragohain, Kausik Bordoloi, Rubia Khatun, Monalisha Dutta, Rima Pangin and Loni Madhab Doley.
Our Staff Correspondent in Dibrugarh adds : The condition of all the four injured at yesterday?s IED explosion at Dhemaji and admitted at the AMCH here is stable, according to doctors at the Hospital. However, the condition of Iranya Panging continues to be critical and doctors fear that she may loose eyesight, as splinters pierced both her eyes. The 17-year-old first year degree student of Lakhimpur College was among those who took the burnt of an explosion.
The three others undergoing treatment at the AMCH here are Loni Madhav Doley and Pinky Dutta, both 10-year olds, and the 26-year old Gajen Buragohain.
Students of the Dibrugarh University took out a peace rally in the city today. A torch procession by citizens here was also taken out here in the evening. The processionists carried placards demanding peace and an end to violence in society. Several associations here held condolence meetings. These include the Dibrugarh University Teachers? Association and the local ACTA units, and educational institutions. Government offices here also held condolence meetings and flew the National flag at half mast, as part of the Assamwide observation of mourning day.