Guwahati, Aug 13 (IANS): Militants in Assam Saturday shot dead one person and injured four more in stepped up offensive ahead of Independence Day even as security forces arrested three rebels in separate raids from the state's main city Guwahati.

A police spokesperson said tribal separatists of the outlawed Karbi People's Liberation Tigers (KPLT) opened indiscriminate firing along National Highway 37 near Bokakhat in eastern Assam's Golaghat district.

"A truck driver was killed and four others were injured in the attack, including two leaders of a students' organisation who were travelling in a car," a police official said.

A group of KPLT rebels was trying to enforce a 60-hour general strike in parts of eastern Assam demanding a separate state for the Karbi tribes people in the region. The strike began 5 a.m. Saturday.

"Despite the general strike, there was movement of vehicles along the highway and probably the KPLT militants wanted to enforce the bandh call and hence the attack," the official said.

In another incident, security forces arrested three militants of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) from two different hideouts in Guwahati.

The KCP is a militant group from Manipur whose members have started taking shelter in Assam and carrying out extortion.

Among those arrested were KCP finance secretary L. Sunil.

"The KCP militants were taking shelter in a rented accommodation in Guwahati and were involved in extorting money from people having business interests in Manipur," the official said.