Even as a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrived in Assam on Saturday, the toll following Friday’s terrorist attack in Assam’s Kokrajhar District has gone up to 15, as one of the 20 injured succumbed to his injuries. The police and security forces have launched an all-out offensive against the anti-talk faction of the NDFB(S) militants, who perpetrated the attack on Friday.
The Assam Government has sent seven companies of additional forces to Kokrajhar District while the police, Army and paramilitary forces have intensified operations against the militants in and around the district and particularly along the Indo-Bhutan border areas.
The Assam Government has also alerted security forces in all the districts to remain vigilant against the militants, particularly in the run up to Independence Day celebrations. Official sources said that a NIA team also arrived in Kokrajhar on Saturday to take stock of the situation and gather forensic evidence against the militants.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said that the police have unearthed direct involvement of the NDFB(S) in the incident. The CM has also asked the civil and police administration to be on high alert to thwart the sinister designs of anti-national forces.
“Ours is a zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism. We are fully committed towards protecting the life and property of the people of the State and we consider it as our first and foremost duty,” Sonowal said.
The CM visited the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital to inquire about the health of the five seriously injured people in the NDFB(S) attack.
“One of the injured persons succumbed to his injures today at a hospital taking the toll to 15. We have shifted five of the seriously injured people to Guwahati and their conditions are stated to be out of danger,” said Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma after visiting the injured at the hospital on Saturday.
He said, the security forces had on Friday killed an NDFB(S) faction commander, one of the attackers. The Minister said that the slain cadre was identified as Monjoy Islari alias Moidang. “The family members of the slain cadre had already identified him but we are conducting a DNA test to scientifically assure his identity,” Sarma said.
Additional Director General of Police (BTAD) lR Bishnoi said that the situation is normal. “We have already confirmed the identities of the two other NDFB(S) militants, who managed to escape after spraying the bullets and triggering the grenade blasts.