Two militants belonging to the banned United Liberation Front of Asom were shot dead by police at Boragaon under Gorchuk police station in Guwahati on Saturday night.

Police claimed to have recovered large number of live ammunition and explosive materials from the possession of the slain militants even as police and paramilitary forces mounted vigil in an around Assam's capital city, which has been targeted by the banned ULFA triggering nine explosions since March this year.

The Union Home Ministry has instructed the state police to get more tough with the banned ULFA, which has been on a killing spree all over the state despite continued Army and police operation against the outfit.

The blast in Anthgaon area on Saturday has evoked sharp reaction from different sections of people who have strongly the condemned the dastardly act by ULFA ultras.

Even the ruling Congress is facing flak from opposition political parties for failing to protect lives and property if innocent people, the influential All Assam Students' Union termed the killings a 'cowardly act'. The AASU is known for
its sharp ideological differences with the ULFA.

The banned ULFA has detonated nine explosions in Anthgaon and Fancy Bazar business hubs in the city since March 16 till Saturday, creating a sense of panic among the people.

Twenty-one trade organisations, including Kamrup Chambers of Commerce, has called for a 24-hour trade bandh in undivided Kamrup district on Monday in protest against the killings.

The trading community in the area has demanded immediate security measures to protect their lives against the design of the banned ULFA. The trading community has issued an warning to the ULFA against repeating such act of dastardly killing in the state.