Two wanted Bodo militants shot dead

Two Bodo militants -- wanted for the killing of Adivasis and abduction of Hindi-speaking people in Assam -- were on Sunday gunned down by security forces in Kokrajhar district, police said.

Security forces operating in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) killed the two cadres of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) faction opposed to peace talks at Auzarguri in Kokrajhar.

One of them was identified as Sanjib Basumatary alias Khardes, while the second was identified as Jangswrang Basumatary alias Ladai, police said.

Ladai was wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for the massacre of Adivasis in December 2014 and for kidnapping Hindi-speaking people in January that year.

Khardes was also wanted for many subversive acts, police said.

A joint team of the Indian Army and Assam Police came face to face with a group of militants early on Sunday.

The militants fired at the security personnel, who retaliated, and in the exchange of fire two militants were injured.

Both the injured were rushed to a hospital in Dotma but doctors declared them dead.

Two 7.65 mm pistols, some ammunition and grenades were recovered from the slain cadres.

Recently, a joint team of police and army killed another NDFB cadre who was also wanted by the NIA for his involvement in the December 2014 massacre in Chirang district.