Guwahati: In one of the worst attacks, rebels of the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland-Songbijit massacred at least 38 Adivasis in five attacks on Tuesday.

The attacks took place in central Assam’s Sonitpur district and western Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Council. The Assam Police failed to foil the attacks despite specific alert from the Centre hours earlier which had warned of the attack. Assam Police also had its own intelligence inputs on the NDFB plan.

The rebels selected some of the most remote areas close to the border with Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan for the attacks. Security sources told this newspaper that worst massacre took place in Sonitpur where heavily armed NDFB rebels stormed into a tiny hamlet adjoining a tea garden and opened indiscriminate fire, killing at least 26 villagers on the spot.

The militants were heavily armed with sophisticated weapons like M-16 and AK-56 rifles besides grenade launchers. Senior police officers were not available for comment. However, IGP (law and order) S.N. Singh had earlier told a local TV channel that nearly 100 NDFB rebels were camping in the Bodoland Territorial Council area and may try to launch offensive in retaliation of police action.

The Manas National Park, a popular tourist spot inhabited by tribals, has been closed for three days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that the massacre was “an act of cowardice.”