A powerful IED blast has occurred at Goalpara in lower Assam had claimed the life of one soldier while causing injuries to six other soldiers after the blast took place at 10:20 am. A few hours later Paresh Baruah who lead an anti-talks faction of Ulfa claimed that it was thier deed.

The incident occurred just when P Chidambaram was winding up his trip to Bilassipara in te Dhubri district which was affected by the riots only 80km away from the site of blasts.

The faction had set up a IED on the road a kilometer away from Naranarayan Setu bridge over the Brahmaputra river. The blast took place as a routime army convoy was being moved from Kkrajhar to Agia in Goalpara. Helicopters had immediately transferred the injured to the Basistha base hospital in Guwahati.

Goalpara is about only 280 km west of Guwahati. The defence spokesman said that the convoy was not the large convoy that was recently deployed in the five riot hit districts of Assam.

Arunodoy 'Asom' had sent a statement to the Times of India saying that they claim the reponsibility of the attack and that it was their resentment against the deployment of army personnel in the state. He also said that 3 soldiers were killed in the attack injuring 9. Arunodoy is the publicity leader in charge of the anti talks faction of the Ulfa group.

(AW- Anil)