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2 Assam cops attacked by Karimganj trader for shutting shop during Covid curfew: Police
The local traders’ association said the police personnel misbehaved with the shopkeeper and he acted in self defence. Karimganj SP Padmanabh Barua insisted that the constables were trying to control the situation despite being attacked by a sharp object.
Silchar: Two police constables were allegedly attacked with a sharp object by a shopkeeper in Assam’s Karimganj district on Monday when they asked him to close his shop due to Covid-19 curfew.
Superintendent of police of Karimganj district Padmanabh Barua asked his department to register an attempt too murder case against the shopkeeper, identified by the police as Abdul Mannan.
The incident took place at Bhanga Bazar area in Karimganj district on Monday afternoon. As per the state government’s Covid-19 regulations, all the shops and business establishments have to close by 1pm. Curfew starts in the district from 2pm.
But according to the police, Abdul Mannan refused to down the shutters when two constables, Aminuddin Laskar and Badrul Hussain Laskar, asked him well past 2pm to comply with the restrictions.
A heated argument followed. At one point, police said, Abdul Mannan and his friends started throwing broken tea cups at police. When the constables forcibly shut his shop, Abdul Mannan allegedly attacked them with a sharp object. Police said the two policemen also gave it back to Abdul Mannan, mostly using their sticks.
The constables and the shopkeeper were taken to the Karimganj civil hospital.
Later some videos emerged where the police officers were reportedly seen threatening to open fire. Some locals claimed the constables did fire, an allegation that was promptly rebutted by the district police chief Barua.
“Our constables were trying to control the situation in spite of being attacked with sharp objects. But they did not use bullets to control the situation. In this critical time of Covid-19 spread, police officers are working hard to control public gatherings. But such attacks on them will not be condoned. We are going to file a case against Abdul Mannan for attempt to murder and some other charges.”
On the other hand, the local traders’ association alleged that it was police constables who misbehaved and physically assaulted the shopkeeper first.
“All shopkeepers in our bazaar close their shops at 1pm as per the state government’s guidelines. Abdul Mannan was not selling anything when police came. He was doing some work and assured them that he would close his shop in a few minutes. But the police constables misbehaved with him and in his defence, he attacked. Police should learn how to behave with common people.”
