 "Assam attack")
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review internal security situation in the country including Kashmir and in Assam where National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Sambijit) (NDFB (S)) militants shot dead 14 people in Kokrajhar.
The meeting was attended by the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and National Security Advisor Ajit K Doval who took stock of the situation on the internal security front with a focus on Kashmir, where life has remained paralysed for last 27 days after Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter on July 8.
Later in the day, Singh had another round of 30-minute meeting with Doval where he was apprised about the morning attack believed to be handiwork of NDFB (S), which in past has been involved in series of massacre in region.
The modus-operandi of the Bodo militants this time was to wear a mask akin to Islamic State in order to mislead the probe teams, official sources said. One of the attackers was killed in retaliatory action by security forces and was subsequently identified to be a member of NDFB (S) insurgent group.
Twelve people died on the spot when the militants who came in a van around 12.30 pm opened fire. Two more people died on their way to the hospital.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Home Minister Rajnath spoke to the Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal separately and offered any kind of assistance that is required to nab the culprits behind the gruesome killing of innocent civilians.
The Assam government has decided to grant an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh to those injured.
The meeting also took stock of the situation in the Kashmir valley which has been witnessing violence since July nine in which 51 people have been injured so far while over 2000 received injuries.
Meanwhile on Kokrajhar incident, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju termed it as an unfortunate and said, "We have to ascertain who are exactly the people behind this dastardly act."
Rijiju added that peace was returning to the Bodoland.
During the high-level meeting held in the morning, stock of the situation in the Kashmir Valley was taken and it was decided that the troops along the Line of Control and International Border would be asked to ensure zero infiltration, the sources said.
Friday's meeting was a follow up of steps taken to restore normalcy in the state after Singh's two-day visit to Kashmir a fortnight ago.
Implementation of the special economic package announced by the government last year was also discussed, they said.
