Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Guwahati, May 11:
In retaliatory attack, suspected cadres of the Dima Halam Daogah's (DHD) BlackWidow (anti-talk faction) on Sunday killed eight construction workers at a place called Phaidang under Mahur Police station inAssam's NC Hills district.
The incident took place at around 2 pm when an armed group of Black Widow militants came and started ndiscriminate firing on the team of workers who were engaged by the ational Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
District Additional Superintendent of Police S Ghosh confirmed the incident and said that hands of Black Widow militants were suspected behind the incident.
This is the second attack in less than 24 hours by the Black Widow ilitants after the army had killed 12 cadres of the outfit at Haralu illage in the district on Saturday morning.
On Saturday night, the ilitants attacked the Wardeng Disa railway station and killed one ailway staff.
Meanwhile, Chief Public Relation Officer (CPRO) of the Northeast Frontier railway (NFR) Samir Goswami said that the NFR might go for stopping of passenger trains in the Lumding-Badarpur Hill ection of the Lumding railway division of the NFR due to frequent ilitant attacks in and around the Hills area.
He confirmed the attack on the Wardeng Disa railway station, 72 kms away from Lumding, by the suspected Black Widow militants (DHD anti-talk faction) on Saturday night and added that one railway staff died on the spot.
"The NFR might have to think to stop running of trains in the section if the imilar attacks by the militants continue," said the CPRO.
The attack is believed to be a retaliation by the Black Widows as earlier in the day 12 cadres of the outfit were suspected to have been killed by Army during an encounter at Haralu village.
The army, however, denied the casualty on the part of the militants.
Following the incident, the publicity secretary of the Black Widow P Dimasa had also threatened to pull out from the unilateral ceasefire with the GoI.
Goswami said that a delegation of the NFR led by the General Manager have rushed to the spot on Sunday morning by a special train to take stock of the situation.
Several railway roperties have also been damaged by the attack.
"This is not the first time that passengers and staff of the railway have been attacked by militants in the Lumding-Badarpur Hills section of the NFR," said Goswami while adding that this kind of attack by the militants might force the NFR to stop running trains in the section.