One killed, 2 injured in attack on tea garden cash van in Assam

One person was killed and two others sustained injuries when suspected militants attacked a cash van belonging to a tea garden in Tinsukia district of upper Assam on Wednesday.

Updated on: Nov 16, 2016, 20:10:28 IST

By Utpal Parashar, Guwahati

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One person was killed and two others sustained injuries when suspected militants attacked a cash van belonging to a tea garden in Tinsukia district of upper Assam on Wednesday.

The van was on its way to collect cash for payment of labourers. (Representative image)

The incident occurred around 8.45am when the van from Pengeri tea estate was fired at inside the upper Dihing reserve forest, nearly 510 km north-east of Guwahati. The van was on its way to collect cash for payment of labourers.

“There was indiscriminate firing at the vehicle for nearly 40 seconds near a bridge. One Nitai Pal, who works as a idol maker and was travelling in the vehicle, was killed on the spot,” said Tinsukia SP Mugdhajyoti Dev Mahanta.

One of the four Assam Industrial Security Force (AISF) personnel travelling in the vehicle and the driver sustained injuries in the attack. The injured are getting treated at Assam Medical College Hospital in Dibrugarh.

“Though it is yet to be confirmed, the attack could have been carried out by the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent),” Mahanta said.

Additional police force has been rushed to the area to carry out combing operations and nab those responsible for the attack.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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