Assam: Five Shot Dead In Suspected Militant Attack; ULFA Denies Responsibility

Three members of a family were among the five killed in a suspected militant attack by United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent) — Ulfa (I) in Assam’s Tinsukia district Thursday (November 1) evening.

At around 8 in the evening, a group of five to six unidentified gunmen reached the village near Dhola-Sadiya bridge in their motorbikes and called out five to six persons from their house.

The militants lined up the five people at the dry bed of the Brahmaputra river near the Bhupen Hazarika bridge and shot them dead. The five victims were identified as Shyamal Biswas (60), Ananta Biswas (18), Abinash Biswas (23), Subal Das (60) and Dhananjay Namasudra (23), reported Firstpost.

An official press release said, “Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal strongly condemned the killing of innocent people near Dhola in Tinsukia district by unidentified miscreants today evening.” Sonowal further said that the people who are responsible for the attack would be dealt with a firm hand.

ULFA denies responsibility

According to The Daily Star, this killing comes a few days after there was a low-intensity blast in Guwahati. Publicity Department member of the ULFA(I) Romel Asom in a statement e-mailed to PTI said, “The ULFA (I) would like to make it clear to all concerned authorities that our organisation does not have any involvement in the firing incident last night. In view of last night’s attack, security has been beefed up in the state with the chief minister directing all deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to remain alert.”

This killing happened a few days after 46 Assamese-speaking people enforced a 12-hour strike to protest against the government’s bill to give to give citizenship to “persecuted” Hindus and other religious minorities from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan. All Assam Bengali Federation has declared a bandh in the state today. All vehicles were asked to keep off the road. The All Assam Bengali Youth Students have also called for a 12-hour bandh.

Assam: Visuals from Tinsukia. All Assam Bengali Youth Students Federation has called a 12-hour shutdown in the district today in protest against the murder of 5 people by ULFA terrorists in Bishnoimukh village near Dhola-Sadiya bridge yesterday. pic.twitter.com/9GyPMvnUjq

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2018

West Bengal Chief Minister has shown her solidarity with the victim’s families in a series of tweets. She has also called for a rally in different parts of north and south Bengal including Siliguri and Kolkata on November 2 to protest against the killings.

Terrible news coming out of Assam. We strongly condemn the brutal attack in Tinsukia and the killing of Shyamlal Biswas, Ananta Biswas, Abhinash Biswas, Subodh Das. Is this the outcome of recent NRC development ? 1/2

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 1, 2018

We have no words to express our deep sorrow to the grieving families. The perpetrators must be punished at the very earliest 2/2

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 1, 2018

Home minister Rajnath Singh on Twitter said, “Deeply anguished by civilian casualties in an attack in Upper Assam region. It is a reprehensible act of mindless violence. Spoke to Assam CM Shri @sarbanandsonwal regarding the incident and asked him to take strict possible action against the perpetrators of this heinous crime.”

Deeply anguished by civilian casualties in an attack in Upper Assam region. It is a reprehensible act of mindless violence. Spoke to Assam CM Shri @sarbanandsonwal regarding the incident and asked him to take strict possible action against the perpetrators of this heinous crime.

— राजनाथ सिंह (@rajnathsingh) November 1, 2018

Also Read: Assam: No Money To Prove Mother’s Citizenship, Daily Wage Labourer Commits Suicide