One person killed, one injured in Assam

In continued attacks for the third consecutive day Sunday by the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), one person was killed and another injured, police said.

According to police, two fresh incidents took place Sunday morning in Kokrajhar and in Sonitpur districts. While one body was recovered from Kokrajhar district, the militants injured another person in Sonitpur district.

"Either he was killed Sunday or Saturday night," police said, while confirming the role of NDFB militants behind the incident.

A group of armed NDFB militants attacked one Bikram Rai at Batasipur area under Dhekiajuli police station in Sonitpur district and injured him.

"The militants had served him extortion demand, to which Rai refused. A group of militants came and fired at him from close range Sunday," police said.

Eight people have so far been killed and 10 others injured in the spate of violence since Friday.

A faction of the NDFB, opposed to peace talks, killed one person Saturday evening at Ambagan in Udalguri district in the Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts, police said.

The NDFB militants also fired indiscriminately at Bagidara village in Chirang district, killing one person and injuring five others Saturday.

Bodo militants had killed five civilians and injured four others in Kokrajhar district Friday night.

Meanwhile, the Assam government has sent top police officials to the BTAD areas to tackle the situation.

Sources said the state's Parliamentary Secretary (Home) Atowa Munda is likely to reach Kokrajhar district Sunday to review the situation with police and the district administration.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had asked police to deal with the situation firmly and a major offensive had already been launched against the NDFB's anti-talk faction led by I.K. Songbijit.