Assam terror attack: CM Sonowal to visit Kokrajhar today

Kokrajhar, Aug. 7 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will visit Kokrajhar today to take stock of the situation arising out of Friday's terror attack which claimed 13 lives. Sonowal yesterday visited the Gauhati Medical College Hospital to meet the injured victims after returning from New Delhi on Friday evening. Sonowal briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the situation. The Chief Minister, who was in Delhi, met the Prime Minister and apprised him about the incident at Balajan Tiniali market in Kokrajhar district and the steps taken to nab those involved in it. He also informed the Union Home Minister, who assured full Central assistance to the state government. Sonowal cut short his visit to the national capital and returned to Assam Friday evening after the terror attack and instructed state police to arrest those involved the in it. The Chief Minister announced ex-gratia amount of Rs. five lakh rupees to the families of the deceased, one lakh rupees to those seriously injured and free treatment to other injured. Meanwhile, the Assam Police have arrested the driver of the auto used by militants to reach Balajan Tiniali market. Additional DGP L. R. Bishnoi said that three to four militants carried out the Friday's attack. He said while one militant was gunned down by security forces, efforts are on to nab the remaining attackers. He said three additional companies of Army arrived in Kokrajhar following the incident. Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that preliminary investigations point towards the involvement of Songbijit faction of NDFB militants in the attack. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sent a team to the site of the incident to collect evidence. The Centre is closely monitoring the situation arising out of the Kokrajhar attack. Rajnath Singh on Friday chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi to review internal security situation in the country. The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and National Security Advisor AK Doval among others. Later in the day, Singh had another round of meeting with Doval where he was apprised about the Kokrajhar attack. (ANI)