2 pro-talk ULFA leaders held for making provocative speeches

After Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Friday blamed inflammatory speeches by individuals and organisations for the killing of five people in Tinsukia district, police arrested two pro-talk ULFA leaders for making provocative statements on various occasions.

The two pro-talk faction United Liberation Front of Assam leaders Jiten Dutta and Mrinal Hazarika were arrested from separate places, police said.

"We have arrested Jiten Dutta and Mrinal Hazarika for making provocative statements," Assam Director General of Police Kuladhar Saikia told PTI.

He said police would take strong action against anyone making insensitive comments.

Police said Hazarika was arrested after interrogation at Panbazar police station in Guwahati, while Dutta was picked up from Sivasagar.

Police suspect anti-talk ULFA (Independent) was behind the killings, though the faction has denied involvement in the incident.

Unidentified gunmen in battle fatigue shot dead five persons, including three members of a family, near Kheronibari village after taking them there from their homes in the village.

The ruling BJP said the killing was a result political parties, the media and individuals continuously making provocative statements on sensitive issues such as the NRC and the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. Chief Minister Sonowal too blamed "inflammatory statements" by a section of political parties and the media for the killing on Thursday night.

The NRC was being updated in Assam and over 40 lakh applicants were left out in its complete draft published on July 30. The NRC was meant to include the names of all Indian citizens who have been residing in Assam before March 25, 1971.

Assam has been facing influx of people of Bangladesh for many years.

Assam government has been appealing to the people not to make inflammatory statements on such sensitive matters.