Villagers protest firing by NDFB militants in Assam; toll rises to 12

Angry residents of Assam's Sonitpur district today went on a rampage setting ablaze houses and blocking roads to protest the indiscriminate firing by NDFB insurgents that left 12 people dead in their village.

The villagers of Balchung Dimajuli dispersed only after the police used batons. Senior police and civil officials were camping at the spot.

Eleven bodies were found from the spot and a child succumbed to injuries early this morning at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital.

A high-level team of three senior ministers — revenue minister Bhumidhar Barman, health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and cultural affairs minister Bharat Narah - along with director-general of police Shankar Barua have rushed to the district to review the situation.

Officials said the militants had attacked the villagers as they refused to pay the extortion demands.

The villagers comprising mostly Assamese, Nepalese and Adivasis had recently decided in a meeting not to accede to the extortion demands which could have possibly triggered the attack.