ASP and another killed, 5 injured in NDFB-S ambush
Source: The Sangai Express / Press Trust of India

Batasipur (Assam), January 28 2014: Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Sonitpur district and a police informer were killed, and five policemen seriously injured when anti- talk NDFB-Songbijit faction ambushed a patrol at Dhekiajuli area today.

The National Democratic Front of Bodoland-S militants ambushed the police patrol led by Gulzar Hussain at Thalola centre-Laodangi of Batasipur area under Dhekiajuli police station, Superitendent of Police Sanjukta Parasar said.

Curfew had been imposed in Dhekiajuli area from 6 pm to 6 am following massive protests against the NDFB-S and killing of the ASP.

"It was around 8 am when three militants hiding near a school fired at the team killing two persons, including ASP Hussain", Parasar told PTI.

The ASP sitting in the front seat of his vehicle was hit by bullets on his head and leg, she said, adding, he was rushed to the Army's 151 base hospital at Tezpur where he was declared brought dead.

The place of ambush, over 200 km from the state capital, is about 60 km from district headquarters Tezpur and 20 km from Dhekiajuli police station near the Arunachal Pradesh border.

The five injured policemen admitted to Kanaklata Civil Hospital in Tezpur were identified as Umakanta Bailong (38), Rubul Borah (26), Dhiraj Bharali (38), Janak Basumatary and Pinku Borah (25) .

Three of the injured, whose condition is stated to be critical, were taken to Gauhati Medical College Hospital from Kanaklata civil hospital in Tezpur, police sources said.

Following the news about the ambush and Hussain being killed, angry local people in Dhekiajuli took to the streets spontaneously in huge numbers condemning the NDFB and broke down a designated office of the pro-talk NDFB faction, the sources said.

The mob also forcibly brought out a cadre of the ceasefire group lodged in Dhekiajuli police station and manhandled him, besides breaking down temporary shops in the area, the police sources said.

To prevent escalation of the situation, district Deputy Commissioner Lalit Gogoi clamped prohibitory order under Section 144 Cr PC from 6 pm today to 6 am tomorrow.

Hussain is survived by his wife, a four-year old daughter and another 10-day-old infant daughter, the sources said.

To queries what action would be taken against the insurgent group, SP Parasar said the operations would continue and today's incident was due to intensive police action against the outfit.

She said the ultras fired upon the policemen as they were conducting an operation against the militant outfit in the remote area this morning on receiving information about the NDFB's presence there.

The operation was carried out with three vehicles and a tractor carrying almost 25 policemen, police sources added.

The insurgents ambushed from a bamboo groove situated near the road at a little height from the road.

As the area was a populated village, police patrolling continued to avoid civilian causalities, the sources said.

But later on it was found that the villagers were forced to leave by the insurgent group, police said.

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