Assam ‘custodial’ loss of life: Cops imagine thana set afire to destroy prison information of drug sellers

By Express News Service

GUWAHATI: The Assam police are close to sure that Saturday’s assault on the Batadrava police station in Nagaon was carried out by a mob to destroy prison information of drug sellers, drug addicts, dacoits and many others.

In movies that went viral on social media, the assailants could be seen first setting fireplace to recordsdata and paperwork. In one other, a lady is seen pouring gasoline, suspected to be petrol, on a police two-wheeler and one other lady setting fireplace to it.

Nagaon Superintendent of Police Leena Doley informed journalists the homes of the accused had been dens of illegal actions and so they had suspicious motion of individuals. She stated villagers informed the police that the accused had prison backgrounds.

“One thing has clearly emerged from our investigation that the incident was not spontaneous but pre-planned. They came prepared to attack the police station and the personnel,” the SP stated.

“They had petrol with them. Possibly, they had their criminal records at the police station and they thought the records can be destroyed by torching the police station,” she added.

The police are additionally probing the jehadi angle. Recently, six operatives of banned Bangladeshi terror group Ansarullah Bangla Team had been arrested from decrease Assam’s Barpeta district.

The SP stated the police requested the Nagaon district administration to conduct a survey in Batadrava and Dhing areas to seek out out if folks had been “unlawfully” settled there.

So far, six individuals have been arrested for his or her alleged involvement within the assault. They had been produced in an area court docket and it despatched them to five-day police remand.

The police recovered a hand-made pistol, some reside cartridges of 9mm pistol and psychotropic drug from the homes of a number of the arrested individuals.

The mob had set afire the police station and beat up the cops after the alleged custodial loss of life of fish dealer Safiqul Islam.

The police stated Islam was dropped at the police station on Friday evening following receipt of a criticism that he was drunk and mendacity on a public highway.

“He was booked after a medical checkup. The next day, he was released and handed over to his wife. His wife even gave him some water/food. Later, he complained of sickness and he was taken to two hospitals. Unfortunately he was declared dead,” Director-General of Police Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta stated.

However, Islam’s spouse alleged the police had demanded Rs 10,000 and a duck however because the household might afford solely a duck, the police allegedly beat him up and killed him.