Two more accused persons have been injured in police firing in Assam’s Nagaon and Goalpara districts.
The leader of an armed gang was injured in police firing at number 1 Kandhulimari village in Nagaon district early on Wednesday when he was leading the police to his accomplices, Superintendent of Police Anand Mishra said.
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The gang leader, who was caught at Ahomgaon in Dhing area on Tuesday, got injured when a bullet fired by one of his accomplices during the encounter hit him in the leg. They managed to escape from the spot, SP Mishra claimed.
He claimed that this gang operates in a militia style and is very ruthless.
“Its members are accused in many crimes including opening fire on common people and injuring several of them on August 22,” Mishra said.
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He said that the gang leader is undergoing treatment at a hospital.
In another incident, three members of an armed kidnapping gang accused in several cases were caught in Belpara area of Rongjuli in Goalpara district on Tuesday night.
One 9 mm pistol, three cartridges and addictive pills were seized from their possession, ASP Mrinal Deka said.
The ASP claimed that while being taken to a police station, the gang leader tried to escape forcing law enforcers to shoot in his leg.
He is being treated at Goalpara Civil Hospital and his two accomplices are in custody.
With the latest incidents, at least 21 arrested accused have been shot dead and 33 others injured in Assam police firing since the Himanta Biswa Sarma government assumed charge in May.
The rising number of police encounters has whipped up a political furore with the opposition alleging that the Assam Police has turned “trigger happy” and is indulging in “open killings” under the second BJP government in the state.
Taking suo moto cognisance, the Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on July 7 asked the state government to institute an inquiry into the circumstances that led to the death and injury of the accused in police encounters.
Earlier, a New Delhi-based lawyer from Assam, Arif Jwadder, had filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against the Assam Police for the series of encounters.