India
Six men were abducted and shot at by suspected militants at Kheroni in Tinsukia district. Four of them died on the spot, one at a hospital and the sixth is injured.
Guwahati: The United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) (Ulfa-I) has denied its involvement in the attack in which five men were shot dead in Assam's Tinsukia district on Thursday.
In a written Ulfa (I) said it does not have any involvement in the firing incident that occurred on November 1.
Six men were abducted and shot at by suspected militants at Kheroni in Tinsukia district. Four of them died on the spot, one at a hospital and the sixth is injured.
Following which, the Assam Police Friday launched a massive combing operation to nab those involved. All the possible hideouts were being combed and senior officials were directed by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to remain alert. Two pro-ULFA leaders Mrinal Hazarika and Jiten Dutta were detained by Assam police on Friday morning.
A bandh, called by the All Assam Bengali Federation, was also being observed Friday in the district protesting against the attack.
Vehicles were off the roads and shops were closed. No untoward incident was reported till 9 am, police said. The police had Thursday expressed suspicion that the ULFA (I) was behind the incident but the organisation denied its involvement.
Publicity Department member of the ULFA(I) Romel Asom in a statement e-mailed to PTI here said, "The ULFA (I) would like to make it clear to all concerned authorities that our organisation does not have any involvement in the firing incident last night.
In view of last night's attack, security has been beefed up in the state with the chief minister directing all deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to remain alert.
Condemning "the killing of innocent people", Sonowal had said, "Strong action will be taken against the perpetrators of this dastardly violence. We will not tolerate such cowardly act."
Political parties and organisations across the state condemned the killing and demanded that the culprits be immediately nabbed.
(With agency inputs)
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