Assam militants kill 8 labourers

Suspected militants of Dima Halong Dauga (Jewel Faction) gunned down eight labourers at Phaiding under Mahur police station in North Cachar hills district on Sunday.

The slain labourers were engaged in construction activities of Railway’s Lumding – Silchar gauge conversion project.

North Cachar police said that the incident took place in remote Phaiding area at around 3.45 pm. A private construction company had hired all the labourers from the neighbouring Karimganj district.

Additional DGP (law and order) DK Pathak said that after the Phiding incident red alert was sounded in the insurgency-hit North Cachar hills district. "Police and paramilitary forces are taking position in all sensitive places in the district," said Pathak.

The law and order situation in the district turned worst after an encounter between a security forces and DHD(J) at Harelu on Saturday. DHD(J) claimed that the army killed 12 of their cadres and 18 were injured in the attack on the outfit’s camp. However, Army denied killing of 12 militants.