Sixteen years after Assam was shaken by one of the deadliest terror attacks in its history, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday led the state in paying homage to the victims of the 2008 serial bomb blasts that left 88 people dead and over 500 injured.
On 30 October 2008, nine near-simultaneous explosions ripped through Guwahati, Kokrajhar, Barpeta Road and Bongaigaon, leaving the state paralysed and its people traumatised. The National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), then led by Ranjan Daimary, was found responsible for orchestrating the devastating strikes that tore through markets and crowded public spaces in broad daylight.
“30th Oct 2008 will always be a dark day in the history of Assam as it witnessed the most dastardly attack on its soil,” Sarma wrote in a post on X. “As we mark this solemn occasion, I pay my tributes to all those who lost their lives in the serial blasts and vow to never let Assam go back to those dark days,” he added.
Public memorials and tributes were organised across several districts, where candles were lit in memory of those who lost their lives in the coordinated terror strike that remains a painful chapter in the state’s history.
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The 2008 serial blasts marked a turning point in Assam’s internal security policy. In the aftermath, the state government launched sweeping measures to tighten intelligence sharing and strengthen coordination between law enforcement agencies.
The investigation, led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), resulted in the conviction of Daimary and six of his accomplices by a special court in 2019. In September 2022, the Gauhati High Court upheld their life sentences, while acquitting four others.
Sarma, who served in a key ministerial role during that turbulent period, recalled the deep scars the tragedy left on the state’s collective psyche. “Our government is committed to ensuring that such dark chapters never repeat themselves. Assam has moved ahead with resilience and unity,” he said at a remembrance event earlier in the day.
For families of the victims, the day remains a yearly reminder of loss and longing. Many continue to demand stronger support and rehabilitation measures. Yet, as the state pauses to remember, there is a shared sense of resolve, to preserve peace hard-won through years of perseverance.
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