India: Explosions kill 17

2004-10-02 10:24

Guwahati - At least 17 people were killed and up to 55 were wounded in four powerful explosions on Saturday in India's revolt-hit north-east, police said.

Three blasts were in Dimapur, the commercial hub of Nagaland state, and killed 16 people, police said.

The attacks marked the deadliest violence in the state since New Delhi struck a truce with Nagaland's main separatist group, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, in 1997.

"Eleven people were killed at a railway station and five in two bomb blasts in markets," a police spokesperson said.

The railway platform where one explosion took place was packed with passengers waiting to board a train.

"Up to 50 people were wounded in the three blasts and the casualties could go up considering the serious injuries received by many of the people (at the station)," the police spokesperson said.

"We are not sure who could be behind the blasts," he said. No other details were immediately available.

The fourth blast was in the neighbouring state of Assam's western district of Kokrajhar. One man was killed and five were five wounded, a police official said.

- AFP