Jorhat, Aug. 12: Suspected Ulfa (Independent) militants opened fire indiscriminately on a group of Hindi-speaking people in Tinsukia district this evening, killing two persons and injuring six others.

While one person died on the spot, another succumbed to injuries at Doomdooma government civil hospital.

The incident comes at a time when security forces have intensified operations against the militants ahead of Independence Day. Like in previous years, the outfit has called for a boycott of Independence Day celebrations.

The outfit had on August 9 warned the Assam government of a “violent clash” if Independence Day was celebrated for three consecutive days.

Sources said the incident occurred around 7.45pm at 11 Bamungaon under Philobari police station, about 35km from the district headquarters. The deceased has been identified as Kishori Shah, 65.

Deputy inspector-general of police (eastern range) Bishnu Prasad Rabha told The Telegraph tonight from Tinsukia that a puja was being performed in the house of one Aravind Shah this evening where many people had gathered. Some were standing on the road outside the house.

Rabha said a group of four or five youths, suspected to be Ulfa (I) cadres armed with guns, suddenly arrived and opened fire indiscriminately on the gathering in front of the house and in the forecourt.

Kishori, a farmer, died on the spot and six others, including a woman, were injured. 

All the six injured were taken to the Doomdooma government civil hospital. The injured persons were Rajesh Shah, Aravind, Sonu Shah, Jitendra Chouhan, Baban Gourh, Ranjit Shah and Pratima Devi.

Tinsukia deputy commissioner Ranjan Chakravarty told The Telegraph that one among the injured, Rajesh Shah, Kishori’s son, succumbed to his injuries at the Doomdooma government civil hospital. The deputy commissioner said all the injured were then taken to Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh. The AMCH authorities have said the injured were out of danger.  

Earlier in the day, an IED was recovered near Shyam Talkies at Margherita in Tinsukia district while another IED was recovered from Rupalim cinema hall in Sivasagar.

Meanwhile, an unclaimed bag was found at Azara area near the airport in Guwahati. The bomb squad was on its way at the time of filing of this report. 

Yesterday, suspected Ulfa-I militants triggered a blast in a drain near a tea estate along the Doomdooma Bypass in Tinsukia district. There were no casualties.

Last week, an IED was recovered from a forest near Pengeri police station in Tinsukia while two bombs were found in railway stations in Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts last month.

On April 28, the outfit triggered twin blasts in Tinsukia within a span of 24 hours and in the second blast in a market area, 15 people were injured.

In the past two months, over 25 Ulfa militants and linkmen have been arrested in Upper Assam, mostly in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts.

Ulfa has carried out attacks on Hindi-speaking people in the past 15 years several times with Tinsukia being one of the worst-hit areas.

On July 14 last year, Ulfa (I) cadres had gunned down a Hindi-speaking trader Nandalal Sahu and his 18-year-old daughter Kajol at Bijuliban village, a remote area near Pengeri reserve forest, nearly 60km from Tinsukia town. Sahu ran a bicycle repairing and knick-knack shop adjacent to his house.