Militant involved in Assam attacks gunned down

A militant involved in the Dec 23 massacre in Assam's Kokrajhar district was Saturday gunned down by security forces, a day after police arrested seven Bodo insurgents including two involved in the killings.

The slain militant was identified as Jeblang alias Jagat Basumatary, the platoon commander of the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) in Kokrajhar district, Inspector General of Police (BTAD) L.R. Bishnoi said.

"As part of the intensified operation (against militants), a joint team of Assam Police and Sashastra Seema Bal today (Saturday) gunned down Jablang at a remote area near Serfanguri around 2 p.m.," he said.

"Jeblang was involved in the killing of civilians in Pakriguri on Dec 23. He was also involved in the killing of five Hindi-speaking people in Kokrajhar district last year," Bishnoi said.

Police recovered an AK-56 rifle, 22 rounds of ammunition, two grenades and incriminating documents from his possession.

Another police official said Jablang was involved in the sensational killing of 16-year-old Priya Basumatary in August last year.

The girl was killed by militants in front of her parents and villagers after suspecting her of being a spy.

The NDFB had killed over 70 people in five locations across three districts Dec 23. The violence also displaced over two lakh people across Kokrajhar, Sonitpur and Chirang and Udalguri districts -- part of the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD).

Police Friday arrested seven NDFB militants from Kokrajhar district and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition. Two of the arrested - Mithinga and Khurai - were involved in the killings in Kokrajhar Dec 23.