Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has revealed that around 5,000 Facebook accounts, allegedly promoting a particular political party and sharing hardcore Islamic fundamentalist content, have become active ahead of the state elections. Many of these accounts, operating from outside India but falsely listing IIT Guwahati as their location, focus on Assam’s political scene and international Islamic issues. Authorities have traced some accounts to Bangladesh and Pakistan and are monitoring their activities. CM Sarma also issued a warning against violations of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, citing incidents of beef consumption in restricted zones during Id-ul-Zuha. Meanwhile, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi accused the BJP and its affiliates of stoking communal tensions ahead of the polls and called for investigations into provocative acts involving beef and cow parts.