GUWAHATI: An Assam Congress MLA advised the police, quite sarcastically, to learn kabaddi so they can avoid “encounters”.
“Kabaddi should be included in the ongoing modernisation of Assam police,” leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia told journalists alluding that it will help the personnel hold back an accused.
He made the statement in the backdrop of some incidents where the police fired at the legs of five alleged escapees two days ago. The persons were taken into custody for their alleged links to Paresh Baruah faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).
Saikia said it is illegal that the police are crippling the lives of the youths. He pointed out that a case pertaining to such “encounters” in Assam is pending in the Supreme Court.
The Congress leader further said that if someone goes astray, the effort of all concerned should be to bring him to the mainstream, not fire at him.
“There are rising incidents of youths committing suicide, going astray (joining rebel groups). These should be analysed to find a solution to the problem,” he added.
The ULFA as well as political outfit Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi alleged the police injured the five youths in “fake encounters”. The insurgent group claimed these were innocent youths.
Gogoi said, “Raijor Dal demands an immediate end to these uncivilised and barbaric attacks.”
Over the past two and half years, Assam recorded numerous incidents where the police fired at the legs of criminals of various shades for allegedly trying to escape from their custody.
In June last year, the state government told the Gauhati High Court that 54 people had lost their lives while 139 others were injured in police actions since 2021. The people killed included militants.
Meanwhile, the police ordered a probe into the suicide by a youth Dipankar Gogoi, a day after he was questioned in connection with a recent grenade blast at Jorhat.
“...An enquiry has been ordered by @assampolice Hq to be conducted by IGP Eastern Range into the incident, including the procedural part, analysing the CCTV footage of police station, contents of report of medical examination at the time of release after questioning etc,” Director General of Police GP Singh wrote on X, formerly Twitter.