Tinsukia Killings: ‘We Are With You,’ TMC Tells Bereaved Families
According to unconfirmed reports, ULFA(I) said in a statement that it was not involved in the Tinsukia incident.
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On 4 November, a four-member delegation of the TMC visited the families of victims who were killed in Assam’s Tinsukia, and also offered the families Rs 1 lakh in compensation.
Assam remained tense over the killing of five persons by unidentified gunmen at Tinsukia district on 1 November, when five Bengali-speaking men, including three of a family, were killed by gunmen at Kheronibari village. The statewide bandh call by some organisations over the killing evoked a mixed response across the state.
A bandh was called by the Sadou Asom Bengali Yuba Chatra Federation and several like-minded organisations to protest the incident on Thursday night, .
Police suspect the gunmen belonged to the ULFA (Independent) faction but the group has denied its involvement in the incident.
- All Assam Bengali Youth Students Federation had called for a 24-hour shutdown in Tinsukia, according to reports
- Protests turned violent in parts of Assam after the killings
- Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee condemned the killings
- A Derek O’ Brien led TMC delegation has arrived in Assam.
- “We are with you,” TMC tells the bereaved kin of those who were killed.
TMC Will Do Everything to Find the People Behind This Crime: Derek O'Brien
Speaking to reporters after arriving in Tinsukia, TMC MP Derek O’Brien said that the Trinamool Congress would do everything in their power to find the perpetrators of the crime.
TMC Gives 1 Lakh Each as Compensation to Families of the 5 Deceased
The TMC delegation gave Rs 1 lakh each as compensation to the families of the five people killed in Tinsukia.
TMC Delegation Meets Kin of Those Killed in Tinsukia
TMC delegation led by Derek O’ Brien meets families of the five people killed in Tinsukia.
“We are with you,” TMC reportedly told them.
TMC Delegation Arrives in Assam
A Trinamool Congress delegation led by Derek O’ Brian arrived at Assam’s Dibrugarh Airport on Sunday, 4 November. The delegation includes Lok Sabha MP Mamata Bala Thakur, Rajya Sabha MP Nadimul Haq and MLA Mahua Moitra, reported NDTV. They will be visiting Tinsukia district on Sunday.
Bandh Called Off At 5 pm
The statewide bandh, which had originally been called for 24 hours, was called off at 5 pm on Saturday, 3 November, just 12 hours after it began.
Impact of Bandh Across Assam
The bandh call evoked a total response in Bengali Hindu dominated Barak Valley districts of Assam while the bandh supporters tried to enforce the bandh in some areas of Brahmaputra Valley as well. Vehicular traffic was, however, normal in most of the places in Brahmaputra Valley.
In Guwahati, the bandh hardly had any impact. In Upper Assam, Lower Assam and hill districts bandh has its impact in several pockets, reported IANS.
Commercial establishments kept their shutters down and vehicles did not ply in Hojai district, said PTI.
Tinsukhia, Dibrugarh Exempted From Purview of Bandh
Tinsukia and Dibrugarh were exempted from the purview of the bandh as the two districts had observed a strike on Friday. Shops, business establishments, educational institutions, private offices remained closed and vehicles kept off the roads in the Barak Valley districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Karimganj, reported PTI.
Police Arrest Political Party Leaders
The police arrested Congress and BJP leaders in Barak valley for supporting the bandh, reported IANS.
According to PTI, Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, who came out to impose the bandh in Silchar, was picked up by the police. He was released later, the officials said.
Two Extremists Nabbed, Weapons Recovered
Two extremists were nabbed in Harinagar Bazaar in Cachar district during the Barak Valley Bandh. According to Cachar SP Rakesh Roushan, the ultras were arrested around 11.30 am and seven AK-47 rifles, around 500 bullets and one 9mm pistol have been recovered from their possession, reported IANS.
Violence Reported in Some Parts of Assam, Protesters Detained
Protesters squatted on railway tracks, pelted stones at vehicles and burnt tyres on roads in some districts in Assam during the bandh on Saturday, reported PTI.
In Brahmaputra Valley, demonstrators shouting slogans and holding placards demanding security for Bengalis came out in large numbers in the railway town of Lumding in Hojai district and squatted on the train tracks near the station.
They tried to disrupt the movement of Brahmaputra Express and Guwahati-Silchar passenger trains but they were removed and the trains resumed their journeys, the sources said. Tyres were burnt on the roads by protesters in Hojai district leading to the detention of 30 people, the police said.
At Samoguri and Amoni in Hojai, bandh supporters blocked highways and pelted stones at vehicles damaging several buses and trucks, sources said. There were reports of clashes between supporters of the bandh and those opposing it at Jogighopa in Bongaigaon district but the situation was brought under control by the police.
At Dalgaon in Darrang district, 17 people were detained when they tried to prevent normal movement of traffic, according to PTI.
ULFA Behind Killings, Say Police
According to Firstpost, preliminary investigation shows that ULFA (I) is behind the shootings, even as the outfit has denied any involvement. Quoting sources, Firstpost claims that the police department felt that ULFA has denied responsibility of the killing in fear of losing popular support.
AASU, Other Student Bodies To Protest Against Citizenship Bill
AASU and 28 other student bodies in Assam have announced protests against the Citizenship Bill from 8 November.
Trinamool Congress Delegation To Visit Tunsukia
A delegation of Trinamool Congress lawmakers will visit the families of the people who were killed in Tinsukia, PTI reported.
"In the next couple of days, a delegation of Trinamool MPs/MLA will visit the families of those brutally killed in Tinsukia. Humbly, our party will stand by the grieving families and assist them at this difficult time," the party said in a statement.
Gunmen Lined up Farmers, Shot Them From Behind: Witnesses
Speaking to The Indian Express, witnesses to the shooting in Tinsukia on Thursday, 1 November narrated the sequence of events that led to the same.
They said that six men wearing military jackets and carrying assault rifles arrived on two motorcycles, rounded up six Bengali-speaking men- three from the same family, two from the main road, and one shopkeeper- made them go to a nearby bridge overlooking a stream, told them to face the stream, and shot them from behind.
However, they said, one man, Shadeb Namashudra, survived as he fell into the stream, with the gunmen leaving him for dead.
Amnesty India Condemns Tinsukia Attack
Reacting to reports of the killing of five Bengalis at Tinsukia in Upper Assam, Aakar Patel of Amnesty India said:
Student Organisations Call for a Day Long "Assam Bandh"
A 24-hour “Assam bandh” has been called on Saturday, 3 November, starting from 5 am until 5 am on Sunday, 4 November - by several organisations with support from Bengali Students’ Federation against Tinsukia killings, reported CNN.
State Govt Announces Rs 5 Lakh for Families of the Deceased
Talking to ANI, Assam minister from Asom Gana Parishad Keshab Mahanta announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for bereaved families of those killed in the attack. “Compensation of Rs 5 lakhs to be given to the families of the deceased,” Mahanta told ANI.
Assailants Came in Two Groups: Survivor
A survivor of the indiscriminate firing incident in Assam's Tinsukia district said that the assailants had come in two groups and carried out the attack.
The man, identified as Sahadeb Namasudra, told reporters he had a providential escape as he fell off a bridge where the gunmen had lined him up along with five others before opening fire at them.
Namasudra along with two others had been called out from a shop below the Dhola-Sadiya bridge in Kheronibari village on Thursday evening by three men in battle fatigue and their faces were covered with cloth.
DGP, Assam Ministers Visit Tinsukia
DGP Kuladhar Saikia and ministers Keshab Mahanta and Parimal Suklabaidya visited Tinsukia where 5 people were killed allegedly by ULFA terrorists.
Culprits Should Not Be Spared: Rajnath Singh
Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that he has asked Assam CM to investigate the matter.
“I have talked to the CM and asked him to investigate the matter. I have told him that strictest action should be taken and culprits should not be spared,” he said.
Ex-ULFA Leader Summoned by Assam Police
Ex-ULFA leader Mrinal Hazarika was summoned by the Panbazaar Police for questioning.
Hazarika allegedly gave controversial statements on Hindu-Bangladeshis and threatened to use violence. The Assam Police suspects that he might be linked to the Tinsukia incident.
Need to tackle Problem of Bangladeshi Muslims: Assam Minister
Offering condolences to the families of the victims, Assam Railway Minister Rajen Gohain told Firstpost that Bengalis need to tackle problem of Bangladeshi Muslims in Assam.
“ If Assam does not welcome Hindu Bangladeshis, the state will be destroyed by the Muslim Bangladeshis. The Assamese community will become the slave of the Bangladeshi Muslims. Shall we take a stand against the Mughals or shall we take a stand against our brothers?” he said, as quoted by Firstpost.
Women Block Dhola-Tinsukia Highway, Burn Tyres
Women blocked the Dhola-Tinsukia highway and burnt tyres in protest in Tinsukia in protest against murder of 5 people allegedly by ULFA terrorists in Bishnoimukh village.
Assam Congress Blames BJP for Attacks
Assam Congress MP Ripun Bora blamed the BJP for the killing of five people in Tinsukia and appealed to the protesters to maintain peace.
Roopa Ganguly Condemns Killings
BJP MP Roopa Ganguly took to Twitter to condemn the killings and called the incident a “cowardly attack”.
Protests Continue in Tinsukia
Assam police tries to pacify protesters in Tinsukia district of Assam.
Arunachal Pradesh CM Condemns Killings
Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu took to twitter to condemn the killings in Tinsukia.
TMC Changes Facebook-Twitter Display Pictures to Black
The TMC changed the display pictures of its Twitter and Facebook accounts to black to protest the killings.
Derek O’Brien to Participate in Protests Led by Mamata’s Nephew
TMC leader Derek O’Brien took to Twitter to announce he will participate in the protests led by Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek.
Protests Turn Violent in Assam
All Assam Bengali Youth Students Federation called a 12-hour shutdown in Tinsukia in protest against the murder of five people killed allegedly by ULFA terrorists in Bishnoimukh village.
Not Involved in The Incident: ULFA(I) Issues Statement
According to unconfirmed reports, the ULFA(I), in a statement released on 2 November denied any involvement in the killing of the five people.
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Published: 02 Nov 2018,10:07 AM IST