Toll rises to 68 in NDFB(S) attacks in Assam

Guwahati, Dec 24: The toll in the series of attacks by suspected Bodo militants belonging to NDFB-S faction in Sonitpur and Kokrajhar district of Assam today rose to 68 even as Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi directed senior ministers to visit the two districts.

Assam Police spokesperson Rajiv Saikia said 27 people were killed in Maitalu and six in Jungle in Kokrajhar district when heavily armed militants belonging to the Songbijit faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) attacked them yesterday.

Four persons were killed in Pakhiriguri in Sonitpur district and three others were killed at Ultapani also in Sonitpur district, the spokesperson said. Curfew has been clamped since last night in areas under four police stations in Sonitpur district, he said.

The incident site is located very near to the inter-state border between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has directed senior ministers Nilamani Sen Deka and Basanta Das to go Kokrajhar district and Rockybul Hussain, Prithbi Majhi and Tanka Bahadur Rai to visit Sonitpur district. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had condemned the killing of innocent people as an act of cowardice.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased," he tweeted last night. Modi said he spoke to Gogoi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be travelling to Assam to take stock of the situation.

PTI