Oct. 6: An army helicopter whirred over the forests along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border today as senior officers made an “aerial assessment” of the areas where cadres of the NDFB’s anti-talks Ranjan Daimary faction are believed to have set up camps.

The chopper-search was launched as security forces prepared for an all-out offensive against the Daimary-led anti-talks faction of the National Democratic Front of Boroland.

The helicopter was pressed into service since early this morning over the Assam-Arunachal border. Sources said these areas are located in Pasnoi near the Sonai-Rupai and Chaiduar reserve forests.

A senior police official said the Sunday evening attack at Bhimajuli village in Balichang in Assam’s Sonitpur district was led by one Sushil Boro alias Salbansa.

“The group fled to their camps located inside thick jungles along the Arunachal Pradesh border after crossing the Bhimajuli river,” he added.

He said army and police officials made an assessment of the area so that a fair idea could be gathered about the exact location of the camps. “We are preparing an all-out offensive against the rebels.”

He said it was most likely that help from Arunachal Pradesh police could be sought in case of such an operation, as there was every possibility that the militants would cross over to the neighbouring state.

Sources in Sonitpur administration said the problem started in the district since Bodos started settling in reserve forest land at Sonai-Rupai and Chariduar in the mid-1990s and taking advantage of the development, NDFB militants started setting up base there.

The last rites of the 12 victims of Sunday’s carnage was performed on the banks of the Balichang today.

Stray incidents of violence were reported from different parts of the state during a bandh called by student organisations in protest against Sunday’s incident.

Police said bandh supporters attacked a public bus at Suklai under Panari police station in Udalguri around 8am. No one was injured. Bandh supporters also pelted stones at vehicles plying along NH 52 in the Routa-Orang area. More than 100 picketers were arrested from Udalguri, Darrang and Sonitpur districts.

The bandh evoked almost total response in Bodo belts. It was supported by the All Bodo Students’ Union.

Daimary’s sister, Anjali, who is the president of the Boro Women’s Justice Forum, condemned Sunday’s killing and demanded that the guilty should be punished. She, however, blamed the government for the split in the NDFB which forced Daimary to take up arms again.