Suspected extremists gunned down five youths in eastern Assam’s Sadiya police district on Thursday. Police did not rule out the involvement of the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), though the outfit did not claim responsibility.
Additional Superintendent of Police Prakash Sonowal said some motorcycle-borne men indiscriminately opened fire on the youths at a dhaba at Kherbari village under the Dhola police station limits about 8.55 p.m.
The victims were identified as Ananta Namasudra, Abinash Namasudra, Subal Das, Dhanai Namasudra and Syamal Biswas.
“I condemn the killing of innocent people. Perpetrators of the crime would be dealt with firmly,” Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said. He asked two Ministers and senior police officers, including Director-General of Police Kuladhar Saikia to rush to the site and deal with the situation.
This is the second subversive strike in a little over a fortnight. The ULFA-I had claimed responsibility for a bomb blast in Guwahati on October 13, in which five people were injured.
“This explosion was directed against those opposing the National Register of Citizens update and against those organisations supporting settling of Hindu Bangladeshis in Assam,” the outfit’s military chief Paresh Baruah had said in a statement then.
Rajnath anguished
In New Delhi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed deep anguish over the killings, saying strongest possible action would be taken against the perpetrators of the heinous crime. Mr. Singh spoke to Mr. Sonowal and took stock of the situation.
Outfit denies role
In a late night statement, the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) has denied its hand in the killings.
"The killings might have happened due to the BJP government's bid to derail NRC by pushing Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016", a statement from the outfit said.
(With PTI inputs)
