'Drug peddler' injured in police firing in Guwahati
Guwahati: A 30-year-old suspected drug peddler has been injured after he was shot at while allegedly trying to escape from police custody in Guwahati, police said on Tuesday.
The accused was arrested on Monday in connection with a case registered with Gorchuk police station.
Later, he agreed to lead the law enforcers to a drug haul, and arrest a co-accused in Jogipara in Azara police station area of Guwahati, a police officer said.
"En route, however, the accused suddenly tried to flee by assaulting our on-duty personnel Asraf Ali Saikia. To stop him, one bullet was fired at him. He is being treated at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital," he said.
A total of 32 accused have been gunned down and 59 others injured while allegedly attempting to escape from police custody since the second BJP government under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma assumed office in May last year.
The rising number of shoot-outs 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 Himanta Biswa Sarma-led regime.
Unfazed by criticism of his government over the encounter killings, Sarma on July 15 last year had said in Assam Assembly that the state police has "full operational liberty" to fight against the criminals within the ambit of law.
The Gauhati High Court has asked the Assam government to furnish all case details of the encounters that have been taking place unabatedly since the ruling BJP returned to power in May last year.
