Three policemen were injured in the violence at the police station
Guwahati:
The mob attack on a police station in Assam yesterday, allegedly over a custodial death, was not an “action-reaction incident” but was carried out by criminals to destroy case records, state police chief Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said today.
The police chief’s statement came a day after a mob set fire to Batadrava Police Station in Nagaon district. Those in the mob alleged that policemen killed Safikul Islam, a 39-year-old fish seller, after he was unable to pay a bribe.
Three policemen were injured in the violence. 21 people have been taken into custody so far in this connection.
In a social media post, Mr Mahanta said Islam was brought to the police station after police received a complaint of public drinking.
“He was in fact lying on a public road before he was brought in. He was booked after medical check up. 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, one after another. Unfortunately he was declared dead,” Mr Mahanta wrote.
So don’t think this is a simple action-reaction incident. There’s much more to it. We’ll get to the bottom of this.
So respected peace loving people of Assam, this is our assurance to you, while we will not let go of any police personnel who’s found guilty…— DGP Assam (@DGPAssamPolice) May 22, 2022
He stressed that the Assam police takes this death “very seriously” and has suspended the officer in charge of the police station. “If there is any foul play at our end, we mean to find that and punish the guilty according to law. No two ways about it,” he said.
The state police chief then went on to talk about the attack on the police station. “Some local bad elements took law onto their own hands and burnt down the thana. These bad elements came in all forms women, men, young and old. But the preparedness with which they came, the ferocious & organised attack they staged on police force has made us think deeper,” he said.
So don’t think this is a simple action-reaction incident. There’s much more to it. We’ll get to the bottom of this.
So respected peace loving people of Assam, this is our assurance to you, while we will not let go of any police personnel who’s found guilty…— DGP Assam (@DGPAssamPolice) May 22, 2022
“We don’t think these are grieving relatives of the dead, but as we have identified, they were bad characters and their relatives with criminal records- RECORDS that were there within the thana. Proof, incrementing evidences- all burnt down,” the police chief wrote, adding, “So don’t think this is a simple action-reaction incident. There much more to it.”
He then assured the people of the state that while no police personnel found guilty will be spared, the force will crack down on elements “who think that they can escape Indian justice system by burning down Police Stations”.