First arrests made in deadly India bombings

Guwahati: Police arrested three suspected separatist rebels on Tuesday and released a sketch of a suspect in connection with bombings in India's northeastern state of Assam that killed 84 people and wounded about 300.

Police say those arrested were members of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), blamed for colluding with Islamist militants in last week's attack, the worst in a region where dozens of insurgencies have raged for decades.

"The sketch of a suspect involved in planting a car bomb was based on inputs from an eyewitness," said Jayashree Khersa, a senior police officer in Guwahati, Assam's main city where 44 people were killed in three bomb blasts.

The rest of the victims were killed in three other towns in the tea- and oil-producing state.

Assam officials said police were working on several other leads and were hopeful of a breakthrough soon. Police are also questioning 12 people, mostly Bangladeshi Muslims.