Militants fighting for a Bodo homeland killed at least 80 people, a lot of them tea-plantation workers from other parts of India, in a series of attacks in Assam in late 2014.
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Police said there were around six gunmen, one of whom was killed after the attack by security forces. Manik Debnath, a 30-year-old shop-keeper who was a witness to the mayhem, said that about five militants, wearing Army uniforms and covering their faces arrived in a van and fired continuously, which continued for 15 to 20 minutes.
The state government has announced around $7,500 in compensation for the families of those killed in the militant attack. As it turned out, the Kokrajhar attack had more to do with the local militant group, NDFB (S).
“We will not tolerate any threat from any group”, he said.
Sahay said police had recovered an AK-47 rifle and explosives from the as yet unidentified dead gunman, as well as the assailants’ three-wheeler.
Although the area where the attack occurred is autonomous to a certain extent, the group wants Bodoland to be given full statehood.
Sonowal asked the district administration of Kokrajhar to ensure that the injured persons got proper treatment and the seriously injured were taken to Guwahati Medical College and Hospital for immediate treatment.
At least 10,000 people, majority civilians, have been killed in Assam state alone in the last three decades.
“Our government is committed to the protection of people of Assam and that is why we have immediately directed the Director General of Police and other senior police officials to rush to the spot”, he said.
The Chief Minister, who was in Delhi, met the Prime Minister and apprised him about the incident at Balajan Tiniali market in Kokrajhar district and the steps taken to nab those involved in it.
“The army has launched a massive combing operation, pressing into service specialized troops and tracker dogs”.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a high-level meeting to review internal security situation in the country including Kashmir and in Assam.
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Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that one of the injured, who was hit by bullets, died on Saturday morning, taking the total civilian death to 14.
