Bihar announces Rs2 lakh for kin of six killed in Assam

Bihar Saturday announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs2 lakh for the kin of six migrant workers from the state who were killed in Assam by suspected Bodo militants, an official said.

Home Secretary Amir Subhani made the announcement, saying Chief Minister Nitish Kumar directed him to approach Assam officials to request them to make arrangements for bringing the bodies to the state.

"Nitish Kumar has also asked us to arrange for their cremation with government funds at their native villages in Saran and Siwan districts," Subhani said.

The six Bihari workers were killed at Athiabari near Ramfalbil in Assam's Kokrajhar district Friday night when Bodo militants fired indiscriminately at passengers in a bus coming from Siliguri, West Bengal, to Meghalaya capital Shillong.

Two other passengers were critically injured in the attack.

District magistrates in Saran and Siwan have been asked to make arrangements for the cremation.

Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United and the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress and Left parties have condemned the incident and demanded protection for migrant workers in Assam.