Assam’s Kokrajhar town attackers were dressed in Army fatigues: On Thursday, the militants of National Democratic Front of Bodoland killed 14 civilians and 15 including a minor girl critically wounded in an attack on a weekly market in Kokrajhar district, Assam.
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“Terrorists moving in an autorickshaw opened indiscriminate fire at Balajan Tinali area, killing 13 civilians and injuring 20 others”, Defence Ministry spokesman Lt. Col. Suneet Newton said. “We will take strict against the perpetrators”, Sonowal said.
The dead terrorist has been identified as Manjay Islari, reported news agency Press Trust of India quoting Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. “It is a militant attack and we will be sending a team from Delhi to investigate further”, the official told Reuters.
“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.
He said while one militant was gunned down by security forces, efforts are on to nab the remaining attackers.
Additional companies of the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Fore (CRPF) and Assam police are conducting joint operations in Kokrajhar.
Police say one gunman was killed by security forces with up to five others believed to have fled the scene. “They expressed their condolences”.
The Assam government has chose to grant an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh to those injured.
Assam Police chief Mukesh Sahay said the militants had chosen a soft target.
Asked whether NDFB(S) was involved, the Chief Minister said that investigations were on to find out the details.
Kiren Rijiju the Minister of State for Home also gave reaction on this matter.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also tweeted saying, “News of the terror attack in Kokrajhar, Assam extremely worrying”.
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The chief minister will be visiting Kokrajhar on Saturday to take stock of the situation and meet families of victims.
