The minister said an all-out joint offensive will be launched by the police, paramilitary forces and the army. There had been intelligence inputs about possible attacks by the NDFB, but security forces could not reach in time, he added.

In Udalgiri, a breakaway group of NDFB set fire to houses and opened fire at villagers. In the crossfire with the police, one tribal person was injured, said the local police.

Retaliatory attacks took place this morning on Bodo settlements, in which three people died. Curfew has been in place in Kokrajhar and Sonitpur districts since Tuesday night.

The tribals held a protest, during which the police opened fire, killing five people. The police claimed hundreds of plantation workers armed with bows and arrows defied curfew to surround police stations in Sonitpur district, the area worst hit by the militant violence.

Protests took place in other parts of the state as well. The Asom Yuva Parishad, the youth wing of the opposition Asom Gana Parishad, has called a 10-hour strike on December 26.

On Tuesday evening, a breakaway group of NDFB, demanding a separate homeland for indigenous Bodo tribesmen, went on a rampage. Four attacks in two districts claimed the lives of 62 people, among whom were 18 children and 21 women.

The state government came under fire for the ongoing situation. "There is a total failure of law and order in Assam. The Assam government, in particular, has failed to protect its people," said Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who hails from Assam.

"This is one of the most barbaric attacks in recent times with the militants not even sparing infants," said Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

Mr Gogoi also criticised Chief Secretary Jitesh Khosla, who continued with a family tour and enjoyed elephant rides at Kaziranga National Park even after news of the attack came.