Rivalry between two terrorist outfits in south Assam's Cachar district has claimed the lives of at least 22 Dimasa tribals.

Terrorists of the Hmar Peoples Convention, which is active in Mizoram, Assam and Tripura, abducted 28 tribals from two villages. The bodies of 22 have been found in a jungle while the others are missing.

The HPC and a Dimasa outfit, the Dima Halong Dauga, have been at loggerheads for the past two months and have reportedly fought in the jungles of North Cachar and Cachar.

A fortnight ago, DHD militants had attacked a Hmar-dominated village near Udharbond in Cachar district.

The massacre of the Dimasa tribals may be in retaliation to that, police suspect.

Meanwhile, over 150 Dimasa and Hmar families have fled their villages in Cachar district and taken shelter in two primary schools in Ganganagar and Dholai, police said.

Two members of Parliament, Santosh Mohan Deb and Karnendu Bhattacharjee, accompanied by state Minister for Public Health and Engineering Dinesh Gaola, visited the families on Thursday night and offered them assistance, a government release said.

The police is on maximum alert, as officials expect more killings.