In a shocking incident in Meghalaya's South Garo Hills district, alleged militants shot a woman through her head at point blank range with an automatic assault rifle for resisting their attempt to molest her outside her home on Tuesday evening.The Meghalaya police said the woman's five children, locked up in the house along with their father by the assailants, first saw them assault their mother and then blow her head off. The men fired six rounds directly at the woman's head, the police said.The attackers allegedly belong to the Garo National Liberation Front, a militant outfit that was declared a terror organisation by the Centre in January 2012. The GNLA is allegedly involved in several cases of murder, kidnapping and extortion in all three Garo Hills districts in Meghalaya.The Meghalaya police said the incident occurred in a remote village of the district. The woman was about 35 years old.The Centre has sought a report from the state government and asked it to punish those involved in the crime."I have spoken to the Chief Minister and have asked to identify the culprits and ensure that strict punishment is given to them," Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told reporters in New Delhi. ( Read More There has been outrage in the country and globally after two young girls were gang-raped and found hanging from a tree in Uttar Pradesh last week.In a statement yesterday the US said it is "horrified" at reports of sexual violence and murders in India. "Like so many in India, we were horrified to learn of these violent sexual assaults and murders. Our thoughts are with the victims' families during this difficult time," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf said.

Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said the centre was viewing the incident very seriously. "It is a terrible case and symptomatic of what is happening in the country."