NIA team visits Kokrajhar attack site in Assam; CM meets injured

A day after 14 people were killed in a militant attack at a market in Assam's Kokrajhar, a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) visited the attack site to take stock of the situation.

Kokrajhar (Assam): A day after 14 people were killed in a militant attack at a market in Assam's Kokrajhar, a four-member team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) visited the attack site to take stock of the situation.

ANI news agency reported that the NIA team arrived in Kokrajhar to carry out an investigation into the attack that has been blamed on Bodo militants.

In the daring attack, a group of heavily armed militants dressed in army fatigues on Friday opened indiscriminate fire and lobbed grenades at a crowded weekly market killing 14 people.

One of the attackers, who were believed to be about five in number, was killed in retaliatory action by security forces.

According to CNN-News18, the slain militant has been identified as Monjoy Islari.

According to the police, the heavily-armed militants came to the crowded weekly Balajan Tiniali market, about 12 kilometres from here, in a van at around noon and fired indiscriminately killing 12 persons on the spot and injuring more than 20 others.

Two other persons succumbed to their injuries en route to the hospital, it added.

Assam Director-General of Police Mukesh Sahay said the attack was suspected to be the handiwork of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB-S).  

AK-56 and 47 series rifles along with grenades were also recovered from the spot.

Manik Debnath, a 30-year-old shop-keeper who was a witness to the mayhem, said that about five militants, wearing army uniforms and covering their faces, arrived in a van and fired continuously, which continued for 15 to 20 minutes.

"A grenade was also lobbed by the militants which set on fire eight shops and screaming people began to run helter-skelter in a bid to escape," he said.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today visited Kokrajhar and met the injured admitted to a local hospital.

Sonowal, who was in Delhi yesterday at the time of the attack, said the militants would be dealt with "very sternly".

"We will not tolerate any threat from any group. The government will not bow to any pressure while tackling terrorist groups," he said, adding all deputy commissioners and superintendents of police across the state have been directed to be on high alert following the attack and in view of the Independence Day.

(With PTI inputs)