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Blasts cut N-E's links with rest of India

Six bogies of a goods train derailed and the driver, assistant driver and three security personnel were injured when a bomb went off on the New Jalpaiguri-Bongaigon section of the North-East Frontier Railway in Assam early today.

The remote-controlled device, planted by suspected extremists of the United Liberation Front of Asom, under a bridge between Salakati and Kokrajhar stations, was set off at about 0210 IST, just a little while before the New Delhi-Guwahati Rajdhani Express was to pass that way.

Rail services were suspended following the derailment.

The blast followed an explosion yesterday that destroyed a bridge between Athiabari and Patgaon, also in Kokrajhar district, on National Highway 31 and severed road links with much of the North-East.

Extremists have set off a series of bombs since Friday in different parts of Lower Assam.

A major rail mishap was averted when security forces foiled a bid by extremists to plant a bomb under a railway bridge at Salakati. A three-foot crater was found. But the rebels managed to escape.

Another powerful bomb exploded at the residence of ULFA's assistant finance secretary, Samiran Sarma, at Barama in Nalbari district yesterday. The ULFA man's mother was seriously injured and a portion of the house caved in.

On Saturday, passengers of the Guwahati-bound North-East Express had a narrow escape when a powerful bomb exploded on the tracks near Bijni station in Bongaigon district. A pilot engine was derailed.

In two other explosions the same day, two transmission towers of the Power Grid Corporation were damaged in Barpeta district.

Meanwhile, ULFA has published a list of 108 policemen targeted for attack, calling the officers "anti-national".

The NF Railway has cancelled or rescheduled several trains over the next two days.

The 5960 Dn Kamrup Express from Dibrugarh to Howrah, the 4055 Dn Brahmaputra Mail from Dibrugarh to Delhi and the 5609 Dn Avadh-Assam Express between Guwahati and Delhi have been cancelled for today.

The 5626 Dn Bangalore Express between Guwahati and Bangalore, the 5621 North-East Express between Guwahati and New Delhi, and the 5648 Dn Dadar Express between Guwahati and Dadar, Bombay, have been cancelled for tomorrow.

The 5960 Dn Kamrup Express scheduled to leave Guwahati at 0700 IST today will leave at 0600 tomorrow.

The 4055 Dn Brahmaputra Mail scheduled to leave Guwahati at 1230 hours today will leave at 0800 hours tomorrow.

The 2423 Dn Rajdhani Express scheduled to leave Guwahati at 0600 hours today will leave at 1100 hours tomorrow.

The 5621 Dn N-E Express scheduled to leave Guwahati at 0830 hours today will leave at 0700 hours tomorrow.

The 3046 Dn Saraighat Express scheduled to leave Guwahati at 1000 hours today will leave at 1000 hours tomorrow.

The 5651 Dn Lohit Express scheduled to leave Guwahati at 1130 hours today will leave at 1130 hours tomorrow.

UNI

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