GUWAHATI: A Delhi-based lawyer from Assam has lodged a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against the Assam Police for a series of encounters that have taken place ever since the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government took charge two months ago. He also urged the rights body to take cognisance and institute an inquiry into these incidents.
Arif Jwadder - who hails from Guwahati - in his complaint to the rights body on Saturday said 'small-time' criminals were being shot at by police and the reason cited for such "fake encounters" was that they tried to "flee from police custody after snatching weapons".
Pointing out that over 20 such encounters had taken place recently, Jwadder in his complaint said most of the persons at the receiving end were alleged drug dealers and cattle smugglers. He added that a few of them have died on the spot which is a "violation of human rights".
"Assam chief minister recently stated at a conference that police should shoot at alleged criminals in the legs which is permitted by law. After this statement by the chief minister, police are staging fake encounters with impunity," Jwadder said.
In his complaint, Jwadder mentioned 10 cases of encounters that occurred between May 23 and July 10 where the alleged criminals were either killed or injured when they "attempted to flee from police custody" at times after trying to snatch firearms from policemen. sThey include Bubu Konwar who wanted for several crimes including murder and sacked Railway Protection Special Force sub-inspector Kanwaldeep Singh Sidhu who was wanted for abducting a businessman.
