Guwahati, Sep 26 (IANS): A policeman and a civilian were killed in Assam's Kokrajhar district Thursday when militants belonging to a National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) faction opposed to peace talks ambushed a police patrol.

Police said sub-inspector Narayan Barman of the Rupshi police outpost and civilian driver Madan Rai were killed in the attack.

"The anti-talks faction of the outfit led by I.K. Songbijit ambushed the police party at Beloguri, located on the border of Dhubri and Kokrajhar districts," Kokrajhar Superintendent of Police S.Kumar told IANS.

"The police party was returning from Rupshi after an inspection of the cadres of pro-talk faction of the NDFB militants led by Ranjan Daimary," he added.

Police and security forces have launched an operation against the militants in the district.

The militants, who fled immediately after the ambush, did not suffer any casualties, said another police official, adding the rebels were armed with AK series rifles.

The NDFB's anti-talk faction stepped up its activities - abductions and extortion - in and around the four districts of Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts (BTAD), forcing the central government to intervene in the matter.

Shambhu Singh, joint secretary (northeast) in the union home ministry, who recently visited the state over the proposed parleys with the NDFB's pro-talk faction, also expressed concern over the reports of extortion and abductions and asked the state government to crack down on such elements.

The NDFB's anti-talk faction last week abducted a senior official of the National Hydroelectric Power Project (NHPC) from Bhalukpong area on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.

There is no information about Anil Kumar Agarwal, the general manager of the 800 MW Tawang project of the NHPC, even five days after his abduction.