Guwahati:
The deadly attacks by Bodo militants in Assam have many stories associated with it. On Christmas Eve, when villages in Sonitpur and Kokrajhar districts in northern part of the state were in a celebratory mood, NDFB militant mindlessly attacked the tribal population, killing men, women and even infants.
Hundreds of adivasis were seen fleeing from their homes, too shocked and traumatised to react. They moved in large numbers with their bicycles, cattle and whatever little belongings they could gather as their houses burnt.
A few managed to shelter themselves in the nearby churches, while other moved to the adjoining areas of Tinikhuti at the Assam-Arunachal border in the forests of Pabloi reserve. They were living in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), the land where NDFB is demanding a separate homeland for indigenous Bodo tribesmen.
As terrorists ran amok in their village with rifles and heavy artillery, these tribals were left with handmade bow and arrows to fight them.
"We are suffering but the government is doing only lip service. Where were the police and army when our houses burnt? They shot little children right before our eyes," said Mumu Hebram, an adivasi.
Those who had resources moved away to the safer zones and those who didn't were left to die.
"My husband was shot dead. Some armed men had arrived asking for water and we did not have any clue as to what they wanted and they started shooting mercilessly," said Jency Kurmi, among those who gathered at a school ground that served as a temporary relief camp.
Series of dead bodies were lined up for identification at the relief camps.
These tribals said that they have been raising their voice against the threats from militants, but their cries have been ignored.
By evening, the army arrived but the locals complained that none of the armed forces could go to the interior areas of Balidanga where maximum killings happened.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh who visited the affected areas said, "They have killed a five-month-old infant with a gun barrel. This is heinous. A terrorist is a terrorist. He has no ethnicity or caste. We will not go for any talks with such groups. They need action and time abound action."
Intelligence sources said there had been intelligence inputs about possible attacks by the NDFB, but security forces could not reach in time.