The explosion took place at 0535 hours, just eight minutes after the Tinsukia bound Kamrup express crossed the sections, Northeast Frontier Railway sources confirmed.

At least one meter of track was blown off under the impact of blast, enough to cause a major derailment, they added.

The blast forced the NFR to suspend traffic for almost ten hours.

Traffic resumed at 1500 hours.

The emergency workers during restoration found long wires from the spot indicating remote control devices were used during blasting.

Meanwhile, panic-stricken people of Asom have largely stayed indoors taking advantage of holiday as the ULFA triggered a series of 19 blasts in past 72 hours.

So far seven people have been killed and nearly 35 injured in the violence which also left a trail of destruction particularly in upper Asom where oil installations and vital bridges were targetted by the militants.

The ULFA has claimed the responsibility of most of the attacks barring those where civilian people were killed.

''This is their old practice. There is nothing to be surprised of,'' said a senior officer of Asom police attributing all the attacks to the ULFA.

UNI MT PC RP KN1637