51 killed, 139 injured in police ‘encounters’ since May 2021: Assam govt to Gauhati HC

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: The Assam authorities has knowledgeable the Gauhati High Court that 51 individuals have been killed within the state in police encounters from May final yr to May this yr.

In an affidavit filed within the court docket in reference to a PIL on alleged faux encounters, the state’s Home division stated 139 others have been injured throughout numerous different incidents in the course of the interval.

The BJP-led Himanta Biswa Sarma authorities was put in on May 10 final yr.

Earlier, the court docket had ordered the federal government to file an in depth affidavit on the alleged faux encounters by the police. The court docket mounted the subsequent listening to for July 29.

Assam’s Advocate General, Devajit Saikia had represented the State. Arif Jwadder, a Delhi-based lawyer and activist, had appeared nearly.

Jwadder had sought an order for the registration of an FIR within the instances and an unbiased probe by an company such because the Central Bureau of Investigation. He had additionally sought a judicial inquiry by a sitting decide of the High Court.

The Assam Police had stepped up their operations towards drug sellers/peddlers and cattle lifters/smugglers after Sarma had donned the CM’s mantle. He had launched an operation, particularly towards medication.

Over the subsequent few months, the Assam Police seized medication price over Rs 200 crore and arrested dozens of individuals. However, a lot of them sustained bullet accidents after allegedly making an attempt to flee from police custody with the firearms of the personnel. The police had minimize quick their run by firing within the legs.

Some rape accused in police custody have been additionally fired upon and injured once they had allegedly tried to flee with police firearms. Two others, arrested on the costs of lynching a pupil chief and burning down a police station, had died after being hit by police automobiles once they have been allegedly making an attempt to flee.

The authorities was criticised by the opposition for turning Assam right into a “police state” however Sarma stated the police actions towards the criminals would proceed.