Thaindian News

Guwahati, Nov 3 (IANS) Normal life came to a halt in Assam Monday due to an 11-hour shutdown called by the influential All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) to protest the serial blasts in the state last week that killed 81 people and injured over 300, officials said.Businesses, educational and financial institutions, and private and government offices remained closed following the call for the shutdown by the AASU, which has accused the government of failing to fight terror.

“The shutdown has been total and spontaneous and this shows that people in general condemn all forms of terror and vindicates our stand about the government’s failure in preventing such violence,” AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya said.

There were sporadic incidents of violence with protesters pelting stones at some vehicles trying to defy the shutdown. Police arrested at least 50 AASU activists from different parts of the state.

Peace prayers were organised in several parts of the state Monday.

Meanwhile, the police were giving final touches to sketches of some suspects of the deadly bombings.

“Investigations are on track and very soon we would be able to zero in on those behind the explosions,” a senior police official said.

Assam was rocked by a wave of bombings - 12 blasts in quick succession - six in Guwahati, and six in the three western districts of Barpeta, Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon Thursday afternoon.