An accused in the Batadrava police station arson case in Assam has died after a police car ran over him as he was allegedly “trying to escape”.
This incident took place late on Sunday night at Nagaon district in Assam.
The deceased accused has been identified as Ashiqul Islam.
Islam was arrested by the police in Nagaon district of Assam for his alleged involvement in the arson of the Batadrava police station on May 21.
Nagaon police in Assam informed that the accused tried to escape from custody while the police team was on their way back to the police station from the house of the accused after seizing several arms and other objectionable items.
Ashiqul Islam was immediately shifted to the hospital where he was declared dead.
Also read: Assam CM bats for trade, tourism via international borders in Northeast
This is not the first incident of such kind in Assam, where a police car ran over an accused leading to the death of the person.
Earlier, in December last year, Niraj Das – prime accused in lynching of an AASU leader in Assam, was killed in in the same way.
Notably, many human rights activists in Assam and also different parts of India have started to term the deaths of accused in such manner as “extra-judicial killings” by Assam police.
A sizeable numbers of so-called police encounters have taken place in Assam after Himanta Biswa Sarma took over charge as the chief minister in May 2021.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had instructed the police to shoot criminals or accused if they try to escape from custody.