12 killed in Assam terror attack

Guwahati, Aug 5 (IANS) At least 12 people were killed on Friday when militants dressed in military fatigues opened random fire at a busy market in Kokrajhar town in Assam, police said.

Witnesses said the attackers first hurled a grenade and then began to fire, killing a dozen people and injuring 18 others in the town, about 220 km from Guwahati.

Assam Police chief Mukesh Sahay told IANS that security forces shot dead one of the attackers. He suspected the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit) for the attack.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he spoke on the telephone to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and added that the central government was closely monitoring the situation.