Protesters attack police station over Assam killings

A mob in Assam's Chirang district Wednesday attacked a police station and set fire to some motorcycles, alleging that police and army personnel killed two students and injured another in a "staged shootout" claiming they were Bodo insurgents.

The incident took place in Runikhata, about 200 km from Assam's capital Guwahati.

Police and army personnel killed two youths and injured another early Wednesday and the police said the two slain youths were cadres of the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) led by I.K. Songbijit.

One AK-46 rifle, one grenade and 15 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from their possession. Police said the injured youth was a linkman of the outfit.

Residents, however, refused to buy the police version. They said the two youths were students and were gunned down in a staged shootout.

They said the three boys were from the same family and that they were innocent. The slain youths were students of Class 7 and 10 while the injured youth is a student of Class 6 in a local school, the residents added.

They then came out on the streets to protest the killings, attacked the Runikhata police station and also set fire to some motorcycles.

This forced the police to resort to a baton charge and fire blank rounds to disperse the crowd. The situation is under control now, police said.

"An operation was launched in Raijungbari village in the district Tuesday night after a tip-off that militants were taking shelter there. There was firing from the militants' side and two were gunned down during an operation today (Wednesday)," said Chirang Superintendent of Police R. Bhuyan.

Meanwhile, considering the public outcry against the killings, the Chirang deputy commissioner has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

On Saturday, another youth was killed by a joint team of police and army at Kahitama village in the district, close to the India-Bhutan border. Although police termed him a militant, his family members said he had no link with militants and that he had gone out to his paddy field in the morning and never returned.