Frightened Assam villagers flee to the forest at night

Villagers sat huddled together watching the police officers scream into their wireless sets and note down details. From time to time, a villager was asked to step forward. The police and the District Commissioner insist that the seven people gunned down by the militants were "boys of the National Democratic Front of the Bodoland (NDFB)." There are no eye witnesses.

The massacre, police officials say, is aimed at warning the villagers against shielding the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) whom the NDFB is fighting. The incident is similar to the one that took place on the night of December 30 at Nichilamari village 4 km from here, where 12 people were gunned down.

The villagers, either unemployed or poor farmers, insist that they never protect militants. "We have nothing to do with militants. Sometimes people come and ask for food. We give whatever we have," a villager said. Others complain, "We try to help whoever is in Army uniform. Most of the militants now wear fatigues and carry similar guns. How do we differentiate?"

FIRs have been registered in both cases. The police are convinced that the same gang is responsible for both massacres. District Collector P K Tiwari said, "They cannot go very far. We will get them. In most such cases we identify who is responsible. Either they are apprehended or just taken care of." Taken care of? "They go to hell," he explained.

When asked how the administration was sure that the assailants belonged to the NDFB, Tiwari said, "We have our ways of finding out."

As it happened, the families were just sitting down for dinner. The cow lies next to the wounded bodies, unable to brush off the flies. The only willing eyewitness to the massacre perhaps.