Assam killings: Patil says govt wont be cowed down by such attacks

Condemning the suspected ULFA attacks on Hindi-speaking people of Assam, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today said the government would not be cowed down by such attacks.

New Delhi, Aug 12 : Condemning the suspected ULFA attacks on Hindi-speaking people of Assam, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today said the government would not be cowed down by such attacks.

Conveying his sympathies to the bereaved families, Patil said the government would continue to work for establishing peace and normalcy in the state.

Militants would not succeed in their designs of disturbing the tradition harmony among different communities in the state, he said, adding that the Centre is in touch with the Assam Government.

Patil also assured the state government of full cooperation from the Centre in dealing with the situations, a Home Ministry release issued here today said.

In a fresh attack, four more Hindi-speaking migrant workers were killed in Assam's Karbi Anglong District in the wee hours of Sunday, a day after suspected United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) militants shot dead 21 people in the state.

According to police, some armed militants of ULFA and Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KLNLF) raided Rongmong Ghat village in the district, about 270 km east of Guwahati, and shot dead four persons, including a woman.

The deceased reportedly belonged to Rajasthan and Bihar, who were residing in Assam for several years.

The attack comes 24 hours after 21 people were killed and 15 others wounded in separate attacks, just before the country's 60th independence anniversary.

Eight people were killed in a similar fashion in the Ampahar area under Bokolia police station on late Wednesday.

Police officials say ULFA along with smaller tribal armed groups are involved in the attacks, to show their presence.

As the ULFA and other rebel organisations have urged people in the region to boycott the Independence Day celebrations.

Considering this, tight security arrangements have been made in the District.

Since January, at least 70 Hindi-speaking workers have been killed in Assam.

The sporadic attacks were being carried out in areas like Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Dimow districts since the onset of the New Year.

Around 75,000 paramilitary forces have been deployed in the State, who are carrying out anti-ULFA operations in the forests of Assam and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh.

ULFA rebels have primarily targeted migrants from other States, mostly brick kiln workers and milkmen from Bihar, who have been residing here for decades.

ANI