Date:02/12/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/12/02/stories/2002120204110100.htm

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Major among 9 killed

By Our Special Correspondent

GUWAHATI Dec. 1. Two Army personnel, including a Major, and seven villagers were killed this afternoon in Adhiarpara-Deharpuria villages in Kamrup district, in a clash which seems to have been a result of ``mistaken identity.''

A SULFA man had served an extortion notice on a teacher who failed to pay. The angry SULFA man reportedly went to an Army camp and said the teacher was sheltering a militant.

Nine Army personnel led by Major R. S. Thapa — all in `mufti' — arrived at the village around 1.30 p.m. and entered the teacher's house. The villagers, mistaking them for SULFA men attacked them with choppers, sticks and stones. Major Thapa and sepoy Debojit Deuri were killed. In retaliation, the Armymen fired on the villagers, killing seven persons.