Assam continues to be tense over killing, bandh evokes mixed response

Assam continued to be tense on Saturday over the killing of five persons by unidentified gunmen at Tinsukia district even as the 12-hour Assam bandh call by some organisations over the killing evoked a mixed response across the state on Saturday.

Although police are yet to identify the outfit responsible for the killings, a linkman of the anti-talk faction of ULFA, Jintu Gogoi was picked up by the Police on Saturday in connection with the killing. Gogoi was picked up from Tinsukia district, police said.

The Assam police have already launched a massive combing operation against the suspected militants in and around the Sadiya area in the district.

Meanwhile 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.

Police arrested Congress and BJP leaders in Barak valley for supporting the bandh.

Two extremists were nabbed in Harinagar Bazaar in Cachar district during the 12-hour 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.

During the bandh there sporadic incidents of violence were reported. In Barpeta in Lower Assam, bandh supporters pelted stones on the police.

--IANS

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