Bengaluru: Reacting to reports of the killing of five Bengalis at Tinsukia in Upper Assam, Aakar Patel of Amnesty India said: “Targeted killings of Bengalis in Assam are reprehensible. The Assam government needs to ensure the right to life of all persons living in the state. The Assam government must take strict action against any group that indulges in violence and fear mongering. It must ensure that all persons living in the state are safe and can lead a life of dignity.”
“There is already a climate of fear and stigma consequent to exclusions from the National Register of Citizens. It is time that Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal takes proactive steps to prevent further violence.”
According to eyewitness accounts, five to six people dressed in fatigues picked up five people from a Bengali dominated village and then shot them dead. Reports suggest that the gunmen belonged to the Paresh Baruah faction of ULFA, also known as ULFA-Independent. ULFA-I has denied involvement in the killings. On October 13, ULFA-I claimed responsibility for a low intensity blast near Guwahati.