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2 rape, murder accused killed in Assam trying to ‘flee’ custody
Assam has witnessed a spurt in police encounters since May 10 last year, when the BJP returned to power in Assam and Himanta Biswa Sarma took charge as the CM. He has urged the police to be strict against criminals and shoot them on their legs if they try to flee from custody or attack policemen.
Two men, both accused in separate rape cases, were killed by Assam police while allegedly trying to flee the custody, officials said on Wednesday.
In the first incident, a prime accused in the gang rape of a 16-year-old girl was killed by the Guwahati police around 11.30 pm on Tuesday night, an officer said. Biki Ali, in his early 20s, was accused of raping a 16-year-old student of Class X along with four others. He was arrested on Tuesday morning, a week after the police lodged a complaint in the case.
“The accused was taken to Garbhanga on the Assam-Meghalaya border where the four other accused were said to be hiding. During the operation, the accused snatched the service revolver of a woman police officer and tried to flee,” said Nabaneet Mahanta, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), West Guwahati.
“The police team fired at the accused in order to prevent him from fleeing. Two of our women police officers were also injured in the attack. The accused was later declared brought dead at hospital. We have arrested eight people in the case and search is on for four other accused,” he added.
Dr Abhijit Sarma, superintendent of Guahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) said the accused had sustained four injury marks, one on his chest and three at his back. “Details of the gunshot wounds would be available after post-mortem,” he added.
As per the complaint lodged with police by the victim’s family on March 8, the girl was raped by two of the accused, including Ali, on February 16. The accused shot a video of the incident and threatened to leak it online if she told anyone about the assault, police said.
The two accused promised to delete the video and called the girl to a hotel in Guwahati on February 19. There they and three of their friends assaulted the girl again in a hotel room, police added.
The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Information Technology (IT) Act, police said.
In a separate incident, a 38-year-old man accused in the rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl was killed in an encounter with the police in Udalguri district on the wee hours of Wednesday.
According to the police, Rajesh Munda, 38, sustained bullet injuries during an attempt to escape from police custody at Majbat. He was taken to a hospital where he was declared brought dead, police said.
“We had registered a case on March 10 about the rape and murder of the seven-year-old girl. Based on our investigation, the accused, Rajesh Munda, was apprehended on Tuesday from a factory in Baihata Chariali,” said Bidyut Das Boro, additional superintendent of police, Udalguri.
“The accused escaped from custody around 2.30 am on Wednesday while being taken to the place of occurrence of the crime. In an attempt to prevent him from fleeing, the police team fired some shots in which he was injured. He was taken to a hospital where he was declared brought dead,” Boro added.
Assam has witnessed a spurt in police encounters since May 10 last year, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) returned to power in Assam and Himanta Biswa Sarma took charge as the chief minister. Sarma, who heads the home department, has urged the police to be strict against criminals and even shoot them on their legs if they try to flee from custody or attack policemen.
A day ago, Sarma had said in the legislative assembly that crime rate decreased in the state following police action on alleged criminals when they attempt to escape from custody or attack personnel. He asserted there has been a 30% decline in the crime rate, taking into account the number of cases registered in police stations during January-February of 2021 as compared to the same period this year.
Action has also been initiated against police officers who have acted outside the ambit of law, Sarma added.
“Rape represents regressive mindset of controlling, scarring and destroying a girl/women’s mind and body. Assam Police would use all instruments of law to fight this evil. As a father and a cop, (I am) grateful to Chief Minister of Assam for crystal clear directions to this effect,” tweeted Special DGP (Law and Order) GP Singh following the two encounter deaths.
The Gauhati high court is hearing a petition filed by advocate Arif Jwadder in December last year alleging 80 incidents of fake encounters took place in the state since May 2021. The state government, police, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and Assam state human rights commission (AHRC) have been named as respondents in the petition.
In an affidavit filed last month in response to the petition, the government said all legal procedures and NHRC guidelines were followed while adding that 28 people have been killed and 73 injured in “encounters” between May 10 last year and January 28, 2022.
“Assam has become a police state under the present BJP government. Despite a PIL pending in the HC on fake encounters and the court seeking an inquiry into these deaths, the police are killing alleged suspects with impunity. They have taken law into their own hands. Till date the number of such deaths since May last year has increased to 33,” petitioner Jwadder told HT.
The issue has taken a political turn with ruling BJP MLAs supporting police action while those from the opposition Congress voicing concern about police “delivering instant justice”.
“Criminals are trying to escape police custody as they are afraid of being pronounced guilty in court and serving long sentences. Police are right in trying to prevent their escape from custody using all available means,” BJP MLA Mrinal Saikia said in Guwahati on Wednesday.
“It is for courts to decide whether a suspect is guilty or not. Instances of deaths and injuries in police encounters are happening in Assam with disturbing frequency. This is unfortunate for the state,” said Congress MLA and leader of opposition in assembly, Debabrata Saikia.
