Mamata condemns Tinsukia killings, Trinamool to hold protest rallies

Kolkata: Strongly condemning the gunning down of five people in Assam's Tinsukia district, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday demaned the punishment of the perpetrators at the earliest.

Banerjee also announced that the Trinamool Congress would organise protests rallies in her state on Friday.

Wondering whether the killings were the outocome of the recent "NRC (Natoional Register of citizens) development", Banerjee said she had "no words to express" her sorrow.

"Terrible news coming out of Assam. We strongly condemn the brutal attack in Tinsukia", Banerjee wrote on twitter.

"Is this the outcome of recent NRC development?" she asked.

"We have no words to express our deep sorrow to the grieving families. The perpetrators must be punished at the very earliest," Banerjee posted on twitter.

"In protest against the brutal killings in Assam @AITCofficial will organise protest rallies tomorrow (Friday, November 2) in different parts of north and south Bengal including Siliguri and Kolkata," she said.

The killings took place when militants fired indiscriminately at a group of people on Thursday evening. The incident took place at a remote location called Kherbari under Dhola Police Station in the district that borders Arunachal Pradesh in eastern Assam, the police said.

Locals said four-five armed militants came in Army fatigue and started firing at the people who were playing Ludo in front of a Dhaba.

The police suspect the hand of anti-talk action of ULFA militants behind the incident.