Fifteen civilians have been reported injured in the incident.
AB Wire
At least 14 civilians have been killed after terrorists opened fire at a weekly market at Balajan Tinaji area in Assam’s Kokrajhar.
Fifteen civilians have been reported injured in the incident.
Security forces in the area have killed one of the terrorists and an AK 47 has been recovered after an intense gun battle that lasted about 20 minutes.
The incident happened at about 220 km west of the state’s commercial capital Guwahati and apart from opening fire on the market, the terrorists also lobbed a grenade that ravaged three shops.
Assam’s director general of police said that there were three to four militants involved, suspected to be part of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit), or NDFB (S).
“The Kokrajhar incident has come as a shock. (It is a) very dastardly and unfortunate attack,” minister of state, home affairs, Kiren Rijiju said.
Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Rajnath Singh and the state government decided give an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakhs to next of kin of people who died and Rs 1 lakh for the injured.
“Our Government will take stern action against these extremist outfits,” Sonowal said.
Home minister Rajnath Singh tweeted that the ministry is closely monitoring the situation.
The shoot-out occurred when the state was in high alert in view of the coming Independence Day.
Social Media Updates:
#SpotVisuals: 1 terrorist gunned down, 13 civilians killed, and 18 injured in Kokrajhar (Assam) attack. pic.twitter.com/D885xzW18G
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2016
Our Govt will take stern action against these extremist outfits: Assam CM on Kokrajhar (Assam) attack pic.twitter.com/cCdWHCtSlL
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2016
Spoke to Assam CM Shri @sarbanandsonwal who apprised me of the situation in Kokrajhar. MHA is closely monitoring the situation.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) August 5, 2016