Assam killings: Trinamool, Mamata turn their social media DPs black in protest

Kolkata, Nov 2: Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday, November 2, took out protest marches and held rallies across the state to condemn the killing of five people by suspected ULFA terrorists in Tinsukia district of Upper Assam on Thursday (November 1) evening.

The five were picked at gun point from Kherbari Bisonbari area and gunned down by the bank of Lohit River. The police said all the victims were Bengalis. The Army launched a massive counter-strategy operation along the state's border with Arunachal Pradesh post the tragedy. Assam Rifles personnel were also keeping a vigil on the India-Myanmar border.

The TMC turned its social media display pictures (DPs) on platforms like Twitter and Facebook into black for a day on Friday, November 2, to condemn the incident and also appealed to people to do the same.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also turned her Twitter and Facebook DPs into black to condemn the killings. On Tuesday, October 30, Banerjee had said in a rally in North Bengal that the BJP was hell-bent to drive out the Bengalis from Assam. She has been a vocal critic of the National Register of Citizens of India, accusing the BJP of trying to divide people. Her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who is an MP, led the protests in Kolkata. A number of senior TMC leaders and ministers also joined the protests.