Indian tribal rebels kill 3 gas firm workers
AGARTALA, India (Reuters) - Tribal rebels in India's remote northeastern state of Tripura on Tuesday ambushed workers of a state-run gas firm on their way to surveying a site, killing three of them, police said.
"The rebels first lobbed grenades and then opened indiscriminate fire on employees of GAIL who were proceeding to a survey site," police officer Nepal Das said referring to the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL).
The attack at Buduniapara, 40 miles east of Agartala, capital of the gas-rich state, triggered a gun battle between police escorting the workers and the rebels but there were no casualties in the fighting.
Police said two of the workers were killed instantly and the third died in hospital.
Police blamed the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) for the attack. The NLFT is fighting for a separate homeland for minority tribals in Tripura, one of seven states in India's restive northeast.
"The rebels first lobbed grenades and then opened indiscriminate fire on employees of GAIL who were proceeding to a survey site," police officer Nepal Das said referring to the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL).
The attack at Buduniapara, 40 miles east of Agartala, capital of the gas-rich state, triggered a gun battle between police escorting the workers and the rebels but there were no casualties in the fighting.
Police said two of the workers were killed instantly and the third died in hospital.
Police blamed the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) for the attack. The NLFT is fighting for a separate homeland for minority tribals in Tripura, one of seven states in India's restive northeast.
posted by Marko at 2/14/2006 07:35:00 AM
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