Assam killings: BJP issues legal notice against Bengal Trinamool leader

Kolkata, Nov 5 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday issued a legal notice against Trinamool Congress MP and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee for blaming the saffron outfit for the killing of five Bengalis in Assam's Tinsukia and warned him of further legal action, a senior state BJP leader said.

"The Trinamool Congress is trying to confuse the people over the killing of five Bengalis in Assam. Abhishek Banerjee has directly accused the BJP and the Assam government of the killing. We have sent a legal notice to the speaker seeking his unconditional apology," State BJP leader Mukul Roy said.

"The BJP strongly condemns the cowardly and barbaric act of killing those people, but the Bengal government and the ruling Trinamool Congress are trying to ignite tension over it. It may turn out to be dangerous for the whole nation," he said.

The five victims, including three of a family, were allegedly gunned down by an unidentified group in Kheronibari village of Dholla late on Thursday.

During one of Trinamool's rally in the city protesting the killings last week, Banerjee had claimed the "BJP-backed goons" were responsible for gunning down the five innocent Bengalis in Assam. 

Roy, once a senior Trinamool Congress leader before he switched to the BJP last year, said Banerjee has seven days to respond to the legal notice.

"An NIA probe has been initiated into the killing. The Centre and Assam government have already said that they would take action against the perpetrators. So he should have thought twice before making such allegations," he added.