20 non-Bodos shot dead in Assam

GUWAHATI, Dec 12 (PTI) — Twenty immigrants belonging to a particular community were shot dead by suspected National Democratic Front militants in lower Assam’s Kokrajhar district today.

Home Secretary Mrinal Barooah told PTI that the militants opened fire from automatic weapons on a group of woodcutters, who had gone to a forest at Panijan near Tulsibari, killing 20 of them on the spot. Five others were injured while one was missing.

The motive for the killing was not immediately known as it occurred in an interior area, Mr Barooah said adding that investigations were on.

He said the killing appeared to have been carried out by an extremist outfit and the involvement of the National Democratic Front militants was suspected.

Special Branch Inspector General of Police N. Ramachandran told PTI that about 15 militants opened fire on a group of 26 woodcutters. The bodies of 20 victims had been found.

He said five of the injured admitted to a hospital were in a serious condition.

The hand of Bodo Liberation Tigers behind the killings could not be ruled out as the Bodo militants were said to be nursing a grudge against non-Bodos trying to assert their domination over the forest areas, official sources said.

On September 15, a group of armed Santhals had attacked some Bodos who had gone to collect firewood at Alokjhar village in trouble-torn Kokrajhar district and hacked three of them to death.