Assam: 8-yr-old, grandmother among those killed

Guwahati: Six days ago, eight-year-old Masum, a class II student from Sipajhar, was brought to Guwahati Medical College to be operated upon for a tumour below her left ear. Today, she was discharged. But she never made it home.

Masum was on her way home with her father, grandmother and uncle. The family stopped for a cup of tea at a popular tea stall at Maligaon Chariali in Guwahati at 2 pm, when a powerful explosion occurred just outside the stall. Masum died on the spot.

Two hours later, Masum’s grandmother Jaharunnessa (58) succumbed to injuries at a hospital. Majibur Rahman, Masum’s father, who has sustained grievous injuries from the explosion, is undergoing treatment at Guwahati Medical College.

At least seven persons were killed in the blast that rocked Maligaon blast on Monday. More than 58 people, several of whom are said to be critical, are undergoing treatment at different hospitals here.

The explosion occurred a day ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s scheduled visit to the state. On Sunday, President Pratibha Patil had left Guwahati after a four-day visit to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

Masum’s death has brought back memories of Moromi Sharma, a 10-year-old girl, who was killed in the serial blasts that had rocked Guwahati on October 30 last year. Moromi, daughter of a carpenter, had battled for life for four days before she died.

Bhupen Kumar(37), who was on his way to fetch his wife Dipu, a teacher at a private school in Maligaon, too, became a victim of the blast.

“Bhupen had been struggling for several years a small-time contactor. He had just started doing fairly well. He got married in December 2007 and had called me only last week to tell me that his wife is pregnant,” said Bhupen friend Abhijit Sharma.