Guwahati, August 13 (IANS): Tension gripped Tinsukia district in eastern Assam on Saturday after five to six militants belonging to the anti-talk faction of Ulfa shot dead two people and injured seven.The attack took place on Friday night at a house in Bamungaon village. The dead were identified as Kishori Shah (65) and his son Rajesh Shah (35), the police said.
Hundreds of people in Philobari area came out to the streets to condemn the attack on "Hindi speaking" community and blamed police for their failure to protect the lives of innocent civilians.
"The Hindi speaking community in Assam has been facing attacks since 2000. However, the state government has not done anything to protect the lives of the people living in Tinsukia and other districts for generations and assimilated with the locals," a demonstrator said.
The locals demanded Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to visit Philobari and ensure security of the people.
Tinsukia Superintendent of Police Mugdhajyoti Dev Mahanta said operations were launched against the militants and that security in the districts was intensified.
Close vigil being kept by security forces: Minister
Guwahati, August 13 (PTI): The Assam government today said that security forces were keeping a strict watch across the state following killing of two civilians by suspected ULFA(I) cadres in Tinsukia district. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told the Assam Assembly that the state's police and paramilitary forces were keeping a strict vigil round-the-clock. He said the government has decided to give a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those killed, while Rs 1 lakh would be paid to the families of the injured. Patowary said police have arrested an ULFA(I) cadre, Pankaj Phukan, who was suspected to be involved in the IED blast on Thursday.
