Assam killings update- ULFA denied involvement, Tinsukia bandh, Protest in Bengal over killings.
Guwahati
At least five people were killed by suspected United Liberation Front of Assam or ULFA terrorists in upper Assam’s Tinsukia district on Thursday evening.
Initial reports said the terrorists belonged to the the ULFA-Independent faction led by Paresh Baruah. But the outfit released a statement to the local media denying any involvement in the incident. the statement said “We, the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) would like to make it clear that our organisation does not have any involvement in the firing incident that occurred on 1st November 2018 at Sadiya Saikhowaghat in Tinsukia district.”
LIVE UPDATE
- The police detained pro-talks ULFA leader Mrinal Hazarika and Jiten Dutta in connection with the barbaric incident. While Mrinal Hazarka was detained in Pan Bazar Police Station, Jiten Dutta was picked up for interrogation from Gaurisagar in Sivasagar district on Friday morning.
- Both Hazarika and Dutta have been vocal against the BJP-led government’s move for passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 and threatened that there would be bloodshed in the state against the move of the government.
- Meanwhile the Army has launched a massive counter-insurgency operation along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. The Assam Rifles is keeping a vigil on the porous Indo-Myanmar border.
- On the other hand Several Bengali organisations have called for a 12-hour bandh in Tinsukia district today to protests the killings. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also said the Trinamool Congress will take out rallies across the state.
- All the victims are from Bengal, the police said. The victims have been identified as Shyamlal Biswas, Ananta Biswas, Abhinash Biswas, Subal Biswas and Dhananjay Namashudra, the police said.
In solidarity, on #ProtestDay to condemn the brutal killings of Bengalis by a State ruled by the #BJP, we are turning our Twitter/FB DPs into black. Street protests throughout #Bengal. Please turn your DP into black for today
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) November 2, 2018
