Death toll in Assam militant attack rises to 68

The death toll in NDFB (S) militants’ carnage in Assam has risen to 68, with the victims mostly women and children, while Adivasi settlers have retaliated by torching some houses and attacking a police station.

Meanwhile, three persons have died when police opened fire on some protestors on Wednesday.

On Tuesday evening, heavily armed militants, allegedly belonging to the Songbijit faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland, swooped down on remote Adivasi villages in three districts of Assam.

They killed 37 people in Sonitpur, 25 in Kokrajhar and three in Chirang district on Tuesday evening.

According to police, among the dead were 21 women and 18 children.

Three persons were killed when police resorted to firing as angry protesters turned violent in Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur district of the state on Wednesday.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his deputy Kiren Rijiju, who were earlier briefed by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, arrived in Guwahati on Wednesday evening to take stock of the situation.

They held meetings with top security officials and directed them to take stern action against perpetrators of the crime.

The Central government rushed about 5,000 paramilitary personnel to the affected areas.

Expressing grief over the senseless loss of innocent lives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sanctioned ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to each of the seriously injured.

On the other hand, Adivasis erupted in violent protest against the killings, even as Chief Minister Gogoi said steps were being taken to prevent the situation from escalating.

A government official said Assam government separately announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for next of kin of those who died in the militant attack.

According to police officials, protesters, armed with bow and arrows, marched towards the police station in Dhekajuli town, despite repeated appeal by police to stop and attempted to storm the police station.

Although police initially attempted to disperse the protesters by resorting to baton charge, they were forced to open fire when the situation worsened.

Several others were also injured in the police action.

Angry protesters also set ablaze twenty houses allegedly belonging to the people from the Bodo community in Phuloguri in Sonitpur district.

Tribal organisations on Thursday strongly condemned the killing of innocent Adivasis by suspected Bodo militants and demanded immediate steps to accord Scheduled Tribe status to the tribals.

Rajnath Singh decried the "cowardly" killings, terming it an act of terror, which would be dealt accordingly.

The Union Cabinet also paid homage to victims of the attacks in Assam.

Expressing shock over the incident, the chief minster said, "We have to go in a big way so that the culprits are booked.”

He added that security agencies had been directed to provide protection to the people in "sensitive" areas, including those inhabited by Bodos.

"The NDFB (S) group has committed the most barbaric and heinous crime. We have to deal with it firmly,” he added.

"Neither the government of Assam nor the government of India will surrender to these militant groups. That's why we are asking for more paramilitary forces from the government of India," Gogoi said.

He added that the prime minister and the home minister had assured him of all help.

Government officials said the random strikes in remote areas made it difficult to assess the casualties.

"There were bodies littered everywhere," said an army official based in Sonitpur district, who did not want to be named.