3 killed in Assam police firing, curfew imposed

Three persons were killed and 10 injured in police firing on Thursday on a mob protesting against dismantling of a militant outfit's camp in Assam's Chirang district, after which curfew was imposed in violence-hit areas.

Over 2,000 slogan-shouting people attempted to prevent the camp of NDFB from being dismantled claiming the camp was in the interest of peace when the outfit was on ceasefire with the Centre.

As the situation was going out of control, the police opened fire in which three persons were killed and 10 injured.

The camp along the Indo-Bhutan border had to be dismantled as the militant outfit was provided with designated camps as per the ceasefire guidelines, official sources said.

The sources claimed NDFB mobilised the people of the area to protest against closing down of its unauthorised office.

Markets and shops immediately downed their shutters and tension prevailed in the area.

The mob also set ablaze an office of NDFB's rival Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) heading the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD) under which Chirang district is located.

Curfew was imposed in areas falling under Runikata police station and Bengtol police outpost from 2 pm after the situation turned volatile at Bengtol, IGP Bodoland Territorial District Administration (BTAD) NM Dutta said.