61 killed in NDFB militant attacks, shutdown called in Assam

Assam Tea Tribes students association called a shutdown in Assam to protest against the killings of innocent people by NDFB militants.

According to reports, men, women and children were shot dead with AK-47 bullets in five different attacks on Tuesday evening.

Some 35 people were killed in the Sonitpur district and 14 at Kokrajhar. Seven others were killed in Kokrajhar district. Those killed were mostly tribals who worked in tea gardens in the region.

Assam police IGP SN Singh said that the state home department and Assam police had announced red alert across the state and curfew was also imposed in Sonitpur and Kokrajhar district.

“An intension search operation has been launched against NFFB (S) militants in BTAD area and Northern Assam," Assam inspector general of police (IGP) SN Singh said.

The victims included as many as 16 children, aged between 5 months to 13 years, who were killed by Bodo militants in five places in Kokrajhar and Sonitpur district.

Suspected militants of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Oangbijit) continued the killing spree in Assam with targeting tribal people in Kokrajhar and Sonitpur district.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident an “act of cowardice”.

President Pranab Mukherjee said in a tweet on Wednesday morning: “Such acts of terror and violence must be put down with a firm hand.”

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of State Kiren Rijiju are scheduled to visit the violence-hit region on Wednesday. The Union ministers will reach Guwahati on Wednesday evening and they will hold a high-level security meeting.

Sources said 15 bodies were recovered from Lunchung, Serfangguri and Pakhriguri area in Kokrajhar district while 36 bodies recovered from Phulbari village near Biswanath Chariali in Sonitpur district along Arunachal Pradesh border so far.

On other hand, miscreants set ablaze at least seven houses in Biswanath area in Sonitpur district on Wednesday morning.

Sources said that villagers told the police that the militants came on foot armed with assault rifles and wearing military uniforms. They forced open the doors of their thatched huts and started firing.

Some people were also dragged out of their homes and shot at point-blank range, reports said.

Top police and army officials had rushed to the areas and launched operation against the militants. The injured persons had rushed to nearest hospital.

Assam CM Tarun Gogoi instructed six cabinet ministers of the state to visit Kokrajhar and Sonitpur district.

Several organisations including ATTSA, AASU, Adivasi Students Union staged protests across the state against the killings by NDFB militants.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)