Bijay Sankar Bora
Tribune News Service Guwahati, October 1
Two persons were killed, over 100 injured when a series of five explosions rocked Agartala, the capital of Tripura, within a span of 90 minutes.
The low-intensity bombs were planted either on bicycles or motorcycles.
A police source informed that the first blast occurred at Gul Bazar at 7.30 pm followed by blasts at Radha Market at 7.35 pm, GB Market 8.15 pm, NS Road 8.40 pm and Palace Compound at 9 pm.
Police sources, quoting eyewitnesses, said two persons riding a motorcycle were seen moving suspiciously at Radhanagar bus stand and the blast took place there two to three minutes after they left the area.
There may have been a sixth blast after 9 pm, said sources. The first-ever serial explosions in the North East sent the police in a tizzy. Chief minister Manik Sarkar held an emergency meeting with top police officials immediately after the blasts.
The injured were rushed to GB Hospital in Tripura even as the state government requisitioned doctors and other medical staff from other districts to take care of the victims.
An alert has been sounded in entire Tripura which has a long border with Bangladesh. The state capital is located a few kilometres from the nearest border point with Bangladesh.
The blasts occurred in Tripura four days after the Army shot dead seven suspected HuJI militants from Bangladesh in Dhubri district bordering Bangladesh in western Assam.
