Guwahati: Suspected militants of the Hmar People's Convention (HPC) abducted and killed 23 Dimasa tribals whose bodies were recovered in the jungles of remote Nastul Hills in Cachar district.

Police said HPC militants had kidnapped 28 Dimasa tribals from three villages under Sonai police station area before killing one on March 31 and set fire to 450 hutments.

Search was on to locate the five missing persons.

The bullet-riddled bodies with tied hands were found in a decomposed state from the jungles. They were shot from close range the next day after the abduction, police said.

Police said the HPC assault was possibly a retaliatory action to DHD extremists evicting some Hmar families from Hmar-inhabited villages under Udarband police station of Cachar and Harangao area of N C Hills district a few days ago.

However, both the underground outfits HPC and DHD have denied their involvement in the massacre and the earlier attack.

The Army, which was in operation in Cachar district, was alerted and the authorities were on vigil to prevent the prevailing tension from spreading to other areas following the massacre.

PTI