GUWAHATI: An irate mob of hundreds torched an Assam police station on Saturday, protesting the custodial death of a fish trader.
The incident was reported from central Assam's Nagaon district. The mob, which also had women, barged into the Batadrava police station, vandalised it and beat up the personnel.
Later, it torched the police station. Several documents were reduced to ashes and some rifles were damaged in the fire.
Two policemen were injured. The police arrested three persons for their alleged involvement in the attack.
The police had picked up Safikul Islam of the Salnabari area in the district on Friday night and demanded Rs 10000 besides a duck from him, the wife of the deceased alleged.
She said as the family could afford only a duck, the police allegedly beat him up and killed him. The police rubbished the charges.
"He was found in a drunken state at Bhomoraguri and on being informed by some people, a police team went to the spot and brought him to the police station," Nagaon Superintendent of Police Leena Doley told journalists.
"Subsequently, his family members were informed and they visited the police station. Today, he was found sick and taken to a primary health centre but it referred him to the district hospital. So, he was taken to the district hospital where the doctors declared him dead on arrival," she added.
The SP also said that a probe was on and action would be taken against anyone found guilty.