At least 10,000 people, majority civilians, have been killed in Assam state alone in the last three decades.
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In the daring attack, a group of heavily armed militants dressed in army fatigues on Friday opened indiscriminate fire and lobbed grenades at a crowded weekly market killing 14 people. Several children were among those hurt.
One of the attackers was killed when security forces returned the fire, reports our New Delhi correspondent quoting authorities and state officials. “We still don’t know about the motivation for an attack of this nature”, a source says. “We strongly condemn this act of terror and our government is committed to tackle this with a strong hand”, Sonowal told reporters.
The Chief Minister announced ex-gratia amount of Rs. 5 lakh next of kin to deceased, one lakh rupees to those seriously injured and free treatment to other injured. Two more people died on their way to the hospital, another police official said.
Assam’s Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal condemned the attack, adding that he has briefed Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the incident.
“We have intensified the operations”.
Security forces have killed one of the militants and an AK-47 has been recovered from the terrorist. “Grenades were thrown…some militants are on the run”, police chief Mukesh Sahay said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won power in Assam for the first time in May after campaigning on a promise to disenfranchise Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants while also pledging to increase spending in the state. “I appeal to all people of Assam to exercise restraint and to maintain peace and harmony”, he said. The Additional DGP further said three additional companies of the Army have been deployed in Kokrajhar following the incident.
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Sonowal, who is in Delhi, said the militants would be dealt with “very sternly”, a statement from the CMO said.
