Guwahati: Tribal militants struck in north-eastern India's Assam state again pn Thursday, killing 10 workers engaged by a cement factory and a railway employee in two separate attacks and heightening tension in the area, the police said.

"Four trucks belonging to a cement company operating in the southern North Cachar Hills district were waylaid, and 10 occupants of the vehicles were lined up and shot dead by armed rebels, who also set the trucks ablaze," an Assam Police spokesman told IANS.

In a separate incident, the rebels opened indiscriminate fire at a railway engine carrying an inspection team near the village of Kalachand. The engine driver was killed and three others, including a paramilitary trooper, were injured, the police spokesman said.

The attacks took place in the district of North Cachar Hills, 310 km south of state capital Guwahati. Militants of the Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel Garlossa faction) or the DHD(J) have been wrecking havoc in the area.

On Sunday, ten railway workers were shot dead by DHD(J) insurgents in the same district in apparent retaliation to the reported killing of 12 of its cadres during a shoot-out by the army.

Both factions of the DHD - the main group as well as the break-away faction engaged in the current violence - are officially in a ceasefire agreement with the authorities.

After Saturday's killing of 12 DHD (Jewel Garlossa) cadres by the army, the rebels announced snapping of the fragile truce that came into effect March 25.

Faiphang Dimasa, a spokesman of the DHD (Jewel Garlossa faction), said earlier this week that his group has decided to withdraw the truce offer in the wake of attacks on its cadres by the security forces.

Late Saturday night, DHD (Jewel Garlossa) cadres attacked a railway station in the area and killed a railway staff.

Railway officials said the ten workers shot dead Sunday were engaged in construction of railway houses in the area.

 

Source : IANS