Four more Hindi-speaking workers killed in Assam

Four more Hindi-speaking migrant workers were killed in Assams Karbi Anglong District in the wee hours of Sunday, a day after United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) militants shot dead 21 people in the state.

Guwahati, Aug 12 : Four more Hindi-speaking migrant workers were killed in Assam's Karbi Anglong District in the wee hours of Sunday, a day after 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, from close range.

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.

Heavily armed ULFA militants raided two houses of businessmen on Friday night in the remote Dolamora area, dragged their families out and shot 12 non-Assamese people on the spot.

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.

Meanwhile, two Bihari organisations-- Akhil Assam Bhojpuri Yuba Chatra Parishad and Akhil Assam Bihari Yuba Manch-- have called a 12-hour 'Assam bandh' on August 14 to protest the killings.

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.

Gogoi has already assured the Hindi-speaking people of his State of their safety after the ULFA asked them to leave the State.

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