Almost 20 others were injured.
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Six rebels arrived in a motorized rickshaw and fired automatic weapons and lobbed grenades in the crowded market in Balajan, an area just outside the town of Kokrajhar in western Assam, said top local police official L.R. Bishnoi.
He said while one militant was gunned down by security forces, efforts are on to nab the remaining attackers.
Authorities took out one of the assailants during the attack.
Police block the area near the spot of attack at a market in Kokrajhar District, Indian northeastern state of Assam, on August 5, 2016. “We suspect the number of attackers was four or five”.
The assault took place in the town of Kokrajhar, located in the country’s Assam state. It is Bodo tribal dominated area. “Grenades were thrown…some militants are on the run”, police chief Mukesh Sahay said. The NDFB led by I.K. Songbijit is known as the “anti-talk faction” because of its opposition to peace talks with the government.
Left parties today condemned Assam terror attack and demanded the government to strengthen the states security apparatus to protect life and property there.
“Saddened by the attack in Kokrajhar”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh was briefed about the attack by National Security Advisor AK Doval.
The Assam CM announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia to the kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh to the injured. He said: “No one involved in the crime will be spared”. “(It is a) very dastardly and unfortunate attack”, minister of state, home affairs, Kiren Rijiju said.
“We will not tolerate any threat from any group”, he said.
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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in Kokrajhar district and urged the Centre to deploy 75 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), which were withdrawn from the state after the April assembly elections.
