Three killed in Assam's North Cachar Hills district

Three persons were killed and three others injured in an attack by unidentified gunmen in an interior village of the Dimasa community in Assam's North Cachar Hills district early on Saturday.

The gunmen opened fire at Phoiding village, 40 km from here, killing two and injuring another fatally, and set ablaze houses gutting 38 as residents fled, official sources said.

The deceased have been identified as Phijon Dipragade (37), Pitronjoy Dipragade (20) and Atolal Sipragade (40).

The attack followed yesterday's firing at Jorai village in the district by a group which injured a 45-year-old man and set ablaze 14 houses.

The responsibility for the attack was claimed by hitherto unknown 'Citizens Rights Protection Volunteers' through SMS to the local media. It also warned of more attacks on the Dimasas, who are a majority in the district.

The police, however, were yet to identify the group responsible for the attacks.

Violence has been taking place in the district for the past two months with two communities engaged in a turf war, the sources said.

The state government's decision to change the name of the district to 'Dimahasao Raji' after the dominant Dimasa community has not gone down well with the other tribal groups in the NC Hills, the sources said.