Guwahati: A man suspected to be an illegal coal smuggler and a member of the “coal mafia” was shot dead in police action in Assam’s Hailakandi on Sunday.
Speaking to NorthEast Now, Gaurav Upadhyay, SP, Hailakandi said that the person was a “coal mafia” and was engaged in illegal activities on a massive scale.
He informed that the deceased was also said to be involved in other illegal activities which include land grabbing, land cutting and other related illegal activities.
The deceased has been identified as Abdul Ahad Choudhury.
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The SP informed that he was arrested from Sutarkandi on Saturday morning based on the statements by two other accused in connection with a Lala Police Station case.
“But, while he was at a medical facility for his mandatory medical examination, he managed to flee from the facility by outpowering the constable on duty”, he added.
He then took advantage of the traffic and managed to flee.
“A red alert was immediately sent all across the state following this. However, at around 1:30 am on Sunday, he was found at a Naka checking near Lakhinagar where he was trying to enter Karimganj on a motorcycle”, Upadhyay added.
The SP further informed that on reaching the check post, Abdul shot at the police team and in retaliation, the police too fire at him and he was injured.
The other person who was yet to be identified managed during the encounter.
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The SP added that Abdul received an injury on his leg and although the police tried to take him for treatment, he was declared brought dead by the doctors at the hospital.
No police personnel were injured during the incident and the police have now initiated another operation to trace down all the other persons accused in the case.