North Lakhimpur: Two alleged members of a counterfeit currency racket were injured in police firing in Assam’s Lakhimpur district after they reportedly tried to escape from custody during a recovery operation late on Thursday night.
The injured accused, identified as Matibur Rahman and Maksidul Alam, sustained bullet injuries to their legs near Laluk while accompanying a police team to recover more Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) allegedly hidden at a location linked to the racket.
Lakhimpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gunendra Deka said the two men had been taken to the site as part of the ongoing investigation. During the operation, they sought permission to use a toilet and allegedly attempted to flee.
According to the SSP, police first issued warnings and fired warning shots. When the accused allegedly ignored the warnings and continued to run, officers opened fire at their legs to prevent their escape.
Both men were initially treated at Laluk Model Hospital before being shifted to Lakhimpur Medical College and Hospital (LMCH) in North Lakhimpur for further treatment.
Matibur Rahman and Maksidul Alam were among 10 people arrested by Lakhimpur Police on July 7 from the Bangalmora area, where officers seized counterfeit Indian currency with a face value of Rs 3 lakh.
The investigation has since expanded across multiple districts. On July 9, Guwahati Police arrested three more suspects-Hejbur Rahman, Mizanur Rahman, and Ekramul Islam from Bangalmora for their alleged involvement in the same network.
The probe is linked to an earlier case registered on June 29, when Lakhimpur Police intercepted a vehicle during a checking operation at Dhalpur and recovered suspected counterfeit currency with a face value of Rs 33.59 lakh. Two persons, Jehirul Islam and Haidar Ali, were arrested and the vehicle used in the operation was seized.
Investigators believe the latest breakthroughs came after the arrest of Ajay Viswakarma by Guwahati Police on July 8. Police recovered counterfeit currency with a face value of Rs 2.56 lakh from the vehicle in which he was travelling along with Debajit Deori.
Police claim Viswakarma revealed details of an organised counterfeit currency network that allegedly circulated fake notes worth nearly Rs 100 crore. He was also injured in police firing on July 9 after allegedly attempting to escape while in custody.
Based on information gathered during the investigation, police arrested alleged kingpin Ainul Haque. His interrogation reportedly led investigators to identify several other suspected members of the network, locally referred to as the “Ambani Gang.”
Police said the greater Bangalmora area has remained under the scanner for decades because of repeated cases involving counterfeit currency and fake gold. The network is believed to operate across several villages under multiple police station jurisdictions in Lakhimpur district.
Investigators suspect the counterfeit notes are brought into Assam through external supply networks, as no sophisticated printing units have been recovered during raids. They are also probing possible cross-border links in the circulation of fake currency and synthetic “Akashi Gold,” which closely resembles genuine gold.
Police said the investigation is continuing to identify all members of the syndicate and dismantle the network.