Sporadic incidents mar Asom's bandh

Kokrajhar, Apr 25 (UNI) At least one NDFB militant was killed and two civilians were wounded during the first 12 hours of the NDFB-sponsored 24-hour Asom bandh today.

The National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) had called the bandh to protest the arrest of its eight cadres in Guwahati on Saturday on extortion charges.

The bandh had been total in the three districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang and Bongaigaon. All educational and business institutions remained closed and vehicles stayed off the roads.

Police escort was provided to the inter-state buses and other vehicles which plied on the national highway.

According to reports, an NDFB militant was killed in cross-firing with the police in Sapatgram, bordering Kokrajhar-Dhubri districts.

A group of NDFB ultras, which tried to forcibly close down shops in the area, resorted to firing when the shop-owners refused to obey them.

Police rushed to the spot and in the ensuing cross firing, the NDFB militant was killed and two civilians were injured.

Sidli police station personnel also had to resort to firing in the air to disperse a group of NDFB men who tried to enforce the 'bandh' in the area.

Another report said a petrol bomb was hurled at a goods train in Rowta railway station in Udalguri by suspected NDFB militants. The driver and his assistant were injured, though no damage was caused to the train.

Reports of stone pelting on vehicles on the National Highway in Kokrajhar and Barama have also been received, besides other minor disturbances in some other pockets.

The year-long cease fire between the NDFB and the Centre expires on May 31. The militant group has alleged negligence of the peace process by the Centre and threatened to walk out of the dialogue.

UNI XC-SG YA VP1850