Guwahati: Families of 2008 Ganeshguri blast victims lament neglect

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Under the shadow of the Ganeshguri flyover, silence hung heavy on Thursday as families of the 2008 Guwahati bomb blast victims gathered to remember their loved ones — the lives that were snatched away on one of Assam’s darkest days.

Seventeen years have passed since that tragic afternoon when a powerful explosion ripped through the bustling Ganeshguri area, leaving behind scenes of chaos, grief and loss. Yet, for many who survived or lost their loved ones, the wounds remain fresh — reopened each year on this day, even as the world moves on.

But this year, something was missing. No official wreaths. No speeches. No government representatives. Only the quiet sobs of families who came to pay tribute on their own, lighting candles beneath the flyover where memories still echo. For many, the promises made in the aftermath of the blasts — government jobs, long-term support and rehabilitation — have remained unfulfilled.

A survivor who lost his brother in the explosion said, his voice trembling, “They promised compensation, rehabilitation and remembrance. None of it came true. They moved on, but we couldn’t.”

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