Five Killed When Bridge Blown Up in India

Suspected separatist rebels blew up a bridge on the main highway in India’s northeast Thursday, killing five civilians traveling on a bus, news reports said.

The attack came a day before India celebrates its national independence.

At least 11 separatist groups have called for a strike during the celebrations marking India’s independence from Britain in 1947. The rebels asked citizens of the region to boycott all government functions and to refrain from any celebrations.

The rebels oppose Indian sovereignty in the region and accuse New Delhi of exploiting the rich natural resources of the oil- and mineral-rich northeast.

Three men and two women were killed, and 15 other people were wounded, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.