E-Paper
‘Tried to escape’: At midnight, Assam cops shoot at man arrested for extortion
Police said the suspect, who had been in police custody since his arrest on August 12, attacked police officers and tried to escape from Demow police station. He sustained multiple gunshot injuries
SILCHAR: An Assam man arrested on charges of extortion and links to the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) was shot at past Tuesday midnight in Sivasagar district after he allegedly attacked police officers and tried to escape from custody, police said.
The suspect, identified by the police as Raju Ahmed, is being treated for gunshot injuries to the lower part of his body, a police officer said.
“On Tuesday midnight, he tried to flee from Demow police station by attacking the officials and our officials in defence, fired bullets on him,” Assam police spokesperson and inspector general of police (IGP) Prasanta Kumar Bhuyan said.
Police said Raju Ahmed was arrested from the Demow area of Sivasagar on August 12 following accusations of extortion. “He was allegedly extorting money from local businessmen in the name ULFA-I and we received complaints. Based on the complaints, he was arrested,” said a Sivasagar district police officer.
He was remanded in police custody by a court and taken to different places as part of the investigation, police said.
Raju Ahmed’s family, however, insisted that he was framed as a Ulfa-I linkman or overground worker. He told reporters on Wednesday that when the police brought Raju Ahmed over for investigation after his arrest on August 12, a private individual who he identified as Raju Phukan was also part of the police entourage.
“Five policemen including the circle inspector and the VDP secretary came on that day. But one person named Raju Phukan, who was not a policeman, came with them,” he said.
He said Phukan planted the note, according to which ₹20 lakh was demanded from Shashant Borgohain in Ulfa’s name.
Phukan sat next to Ahmed on a chair and asked the police to check a piece of paper that he had secretly kept moments earlier. “Police considered this proof and ignored Phukan’s act. It is suspicious because they allowed Phukan to accompany them in the investigation… I feel that my son has been framed,” he told the media.
Police denied the allegation and claimed that they arrested Ahmed with adequate proof.
