At least 12 persons, including eight children and two women, were gunned down by unidentified tribal militants and 15 houses were torched at Michidui village inhabited by Zeme Naga tribe under Haflong police station as fresh violence rocked the insurgency-hit North Cachar Hill district of Assam on Tuesday.

The police informed militants set afire 15 houses at remote Michidui village this noon besides killing 12 persons who were working in their paddy filed nearby. The village is located about 25 kilometers away from Haflong town, but has no proper road leading to it.

The security personnel recovered 12 bullet-ridden bodies from a nearby shifting cultivation (jhum)in Michidui village.

Uneasy calm prevailed in the hill district following June 3 arraest of the commander in chief of Black Widow militants group, Jewel Garlosa from Bangalore. The Black Widow outfit subsequently declared unilateral ceasefire following their leader's arrest.

The Black Widow and Naga rebel groups have been attacking and counter-attacking villages inhabited by Zeme Naga and Dimasa tribes in the hill district despite heavy deployment of security forces.

The autonomous district council in the hill district was suspended a couple of days ago and the Assam Governor took over the charge in view of the deteriorating law and order situation there.