NEW DELHI, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Assam government in northeast India Friday sounded a security alert after separatists triggered a string of grenade explosions overnight wounding 34 people, a police officer said.

    "We have put security forces on a state of high alert to thwart further rebel attacks, especially targeting vital installations, security forces, and civilians," Indo-Asian News Service quoted Assam police chief Dipak Narayan Dutt as saying Friday.

    He said outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) militants late Thursday carried out four separate blasts injuring 34 people, including half-a-dozen policemen in the eastern Nagaon, northern Darrang and western Dhubri districts of the state.

    "Our intelligence inputs say the ULFA had sometime back planned to carry out some violent attacks beginning Thursday for three consecutive days. They did manage to strike on the first day as planned and so we are taking no chances for the next two days," the police chief said.

    Though the four explosions Thursday night were aimed at security patrols, civilians were also caught in the attack and were wounded, the police officer said.

    The ULFA, a rebel group fighting for an independent Assamese homeland since 1979, has not claimed responsibility for the explosions. The rebel group has not carried out any violent strikes since January. The ULFA representatives are currently holding peace talks with New Delhi.

    The Indian government Thursday announced fresh dates for talks with ULFA representatives, to be held June 22 in the national capital. Enditem