More violence, worker flee, stops National Projects

Guwahati, May 12 (UNI) The Dimasa militants today attacked one more labour camp, killing two and injuring five, triggering mass exodus of work force from the troubled North Cachar Hills district of Assam and leaving the two most important national projects of the North East India in limbo.

They were the East West Corridor of the National Highway Authority of India(NHAI) through which a four-lane highway was being constructed from Silchar of Assam to Porbandar of Gujrat.

The other project was the broad gauge railway track between Lumding to Silchar and eventually to Tripura where railway lines had just been inaugurated.

This afternoon, the Dimasa militants attacked Mirgandisha railway station, just 20 km from Haflong, the district capital.

The incident occurred at 1400 hours. As a result almost entire work force left for safer places.

Both projects would have to cross the North Cachar Hills district and the projects had been bogged down there because none wanted to work fearing raids by the militants.

The contractors had also wound up and decided not to return unless things improved.

With today's killing, the toll went up to 13 in the past two days. The fresh rounds of attacks came after the killing of 12 Dimasa militants by the Army.

Eds: Pls pick up suitably from earlier series.

UNI MT SJC RN1827