Gunmen on Friday opened fire on a busy market in a restive area of northeast India, killing 12 people and wounding several others, police said.
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He said that one militant was gunned down by the security forces, adding efforts are on to nab the remaining attackers.
Local TV channels reported the area has been cordoned off by the security forces and operations have been launched to track down the militants who are suspected to be hiding in nearby buildings in the area.
Assam Director-General of Police (DGP) Mukesh Sahay said the attack was suspected to be the handiwork of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB-S) and the operation was still continuing in the area.
Militants fighting for a Bodo homeland killed at least 80 people, majority tea-plantation workers from other parts of India, in a series of attacks in Assam in late 2014.
“The Politburo demands that the security apparatus be strengthened to protect life and property and all efforts must be made to identify and punish the guilty”, CPI (M) said in a statement.
The Assam government today confirmed NDFB Songbijit faction’s hand behind the attack in Kokrajhar yesterday. “They expressed their condolences”. The sources said an attack in Kokrajhar had been anticipated.
Speaking to News18 he said, “We don’t know who is behind it”. The Prime Minister rushed National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to meet Sonowal at his house.
The NDFB wants an independent homeland for the Bodo ethnic group to be carved out of Assam.
The Chief Minister announced ex-gratia amount of 5 lakh rupees to the families of the deceased, one lakh rupees to those seriously injured and free treatment to other injured.
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Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday reviewed the situation in Kokrajhar district and urged the Centre to deploy 75 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), which were withdrawn from the state after the April assembly elections.
