Bodo militants involved in Adivasi killing gunned down

Two senior cadres of Bodo militant outfit NDFB -- who were involved in the massacre of Adivasi people in December last year -- were shot dead in Assam's Chirang district on Saturday, police said.

Based on information that some militants of the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) were hiding in the area, a joint team of Assam Police commandos, the army and Cobra commandos of the CRPF launched an operation in Ouguri area in the district on Friday night, said Inspector General of Police (BTAD) L.R. Bishnoi.

"We started an operation in Ouguri around 10.30 p.m. last night (Friday) following a tip-off that some NDFB militants were hiding in the area. A gun battle took place around 5 a.m. on Saturday which led to killing of two cadres, identified as Gwndai and Jwanthi," Bishnoi said.

Both the militants were responsible for the massacre of Adivasi people in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Sonitpur districts in December last year that left 70 people dead.

Gwndai was also involved in the gory killing of Priya Basumatary, a 16-year-old school student in Chirang in May last year, said the police official from the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD).

Bishnoi said police recovered one M16 rifle, one grenade launcher, one AK-47 rifle, one pistol and 136 rounds of ammunition during the operation.

The police official said the recovered M16 rifle was used to kill Priya.

The teenaged girl was shot dead in front of her parents and villagers on allegations that she was a spy of the security forces.