Guwahati, March 15 (IANS) Two militants were killed in a shootout with security forces Saturday, while two civilians were injured in a powerful explosion in Assam, officials said. A police spokesman said a blast took place at a market in Abhyapuri town in western Bongaigaon district, about 220 km from Assam’s main city of Guwahati.

“The explosion took place near a tea stall injuring two pedestrians. The bomb was probably strapped to a parked bicycle,” a police official said.

In another incident, security forces shot dead two militants of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in North Lakhimpur district.

“Acting on specific information, security forces went to the area to nab the militants when an encounter took place in which two ULFA militants were killed,” the official said.

Assam has witnessed a series of explosions with the police blaming the ULFA for staging at least a dozen blasts during the past two weeks. Three people were killed and over 50 injured in the serial blasts.

The ULFA is observing Sunday as the outfit’s army day and hence is believed to be stepping up violence to make its presence felt, police officials said.