Assam: Army stages march after NFDB attack on villagers

The Indian Army on Monday staged a flag march at violence-affected Bishwanath Chariali area in north Assam, where the death toll after the Sunday night's attack on villagers at Bhimajuli by the banned tribal militants of National Democratic Front Bodoland went up to 12.

Six others are injured of which four are critically injured and are being treated at a local hospital.

The army had been called to help the local police to prevent mob violence after tension mounted in the area following the attack. People were seen protesting against the NFDB, while some even torched a few abandoned houses in the area.

The Assam government has announced Rs 3 lakh as compensation for the family of each of the deceased, Rs 50,000 as assistance for each of the seriously injured persons.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi sent his cabinet ministers to the affected area to assess the situation.

Villagers told visiting media persons that the police took over two hours to reach the affected village though it is located about 4 km from Balichang police outpost.

The opposition Asom Gana Parishad alleged that the state government did not respond though it had prior information that the NDFB ultras were demanding extortion money from villagers along Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border in Sonitpur district.

Villagers of Bhimajuli held a meeting on October 1 to resolve not to relent to the NFDB's extortion demands.

The police had a tough time on Monday after a mob tried to stop a convoy of vehicles carrying the state director general of police and four cabinet ministers to the violence-affected village. The ministers and the DGP had to rush back to Balichang police outpost.

Earlier, a mob set fire the vehicle of a local circle officer and tried to attack the police outpost at Balichang forcing the police to open fire in the air and resort to lathicharge to disperse the mob.