UNI

Guwahati, Feb 9: A few hours before the inauguration of the 33rd National Games, a powerful bomb ripped apart a railway platform at Kamakhya Station on the outskirts of the city on Friday morning.

According to the railway authorities, the bomb had damaged the railway platform, however, no case of casualty had been reported.

The railway and intelligence authorities were alerted by some unidentified sources about the planting of the bomb between the Guwahati and Rangia railway station.

The intelligence sources had the information that there would a blast before the beginning of the National Games.

The bomb squad had been surfing for the bomb since yesterday but it went off this morning, railway sources said.

This is to be noted that the ULFA had withdrawn the boycott call against the National Games on Tuesday.

According to the intelligence sources the bomb was planted before Tuesday and the ULFA cadres had indirectly informed the police about the location of the bomb.

Meanwhile, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil would be arriving at Guwahati within a couple of hours from now.

Mrs Gandhi would inaugurate the Games and Mr Patil would review the law and order situation in this regard.