Five persons, including two children, were killed and over 20 injured when suspected United Liberation Front of Asom militants triggered a blast at a pavement tea stall near a mosque in the Machkhowa of Guwahati at around 7.40 am.

State Police Director General R N Mathur, who rushed to the spot after the blast took place, informed that though the needle of suspicion pointed towards the banned ULFA, an inquiry was being instituted to ascertain the identity of real culprits.

The timed bomb was planted on a bicycle parked in front of a tea stall owned by one Rafique Ahmed who was killed in the blast along with seven-year-old Safique Ali.

The three others killed in the blast were identified as Anisha Begum (18 months), Sanjib Ali (25) and Hasem Ali (17).

All the injured were rushed to hospital even as police intensified vigil in the area and a combing operation was launched.

Assam's senior Cabinet Minister in charge of Revenue Department Dr Bhumidhar Barman visited the blast site and criticised the militants for triggering blasts to gain 'cheap publicity'.

He said though the state government had mounted a vigil with the force available, the people of the state should remain alert to thwart militants' activities.