At least 23 people have been killed in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam by suspected Bodo militants.

The militants, wearing army fatigues, burst into homes, opened fire, according to police.

We shall not tolerate such killings of innocent people and I have asked police to be tough with militants.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi

The incident happened early on Sunday in the village of Dadgiri in Kokrajhar district, 280 kilometres (450 miles) north-west of the state capital, Guwahati.

The police have blamed the rebel National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) for the attack in which an additional 30 people were injured.

The NDFB has been fighting for a separate homeland for the Bodo tribal community.

"The villagers were totally caught off guard. There are many women and children among those killed," said senior state police officer, PK Bhuyan.

Kokrajhar Assam

It was one of the deadliest militant attacks in the region in recent history and was part, as Mr Bhuyan put it, of an "ethnic cleansing" drive by the NDFB.

All those killed were non-tribals and came from neighbouring states, he said.

Meanwhile the Chief Minster of Assam, Tarun Gogoi has said: "We shall not tolerate such killings of innocent people and I have asked police to be tough with militants."

Escape route

Police say the suspected militants must have escaped across the border to Bhutan, which is just a 100 metres away from Dadgiri.

Indian officials allege that the group operates out of strongly entrenched bases in Bhutan to carry out its hit and run strikes.

More than 10,000 people have lost their lives to the insurgency in Assam during the past two decades, with a number of rebel groups fighting for either independence or more autonomy.