The director general of Assam Police (DGP) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta on Sunday said that strong repercussions await those who think they can get away from justice by burning down a police station.
The Assam Police DGP was reacting to the violent incidents that took place in Batadrava in Assam’s Nagaon district yesterday.
DGP Mahanta penned a long note on social media expressing anguish over the incidents of the day.
While he condemned the role of police officials in the custodial death of one Safiqul Islam and ensured that action will be taken against those at fault, he also warned those culpable for the later incidents of the day which involved the burning down of the police station by a mob of angry locals.
Mahanta wrote, “One Safiqul Islam (39yo) was brought to Batadrava Thana on 20/05/22 at 9:30PM after a complaint of him being drunk. He was in fact lying on a public road when he was brought in. He was booked after medical check up. The next day he was released or handed over to his wife. His wife even gave him some water/food. Later he complained of sickness and he was taken to two hospitals, one after another. Unfortunately he was declared dead.”
He added, “We take this unfortunate death very seriously and have put the OC on suspension and rest of the staff of the Batadraba thana Closed. If there is any foul play at our end, we mean to find that and punish the guilty according to the law. No two thoughts.”
“But what took place later that day, we all know. Some local bad elements took law onto their own hands and burnt down the thana. These bad elements came in all forms women, men, young and old. But the preparedness with which they came, the ferocious, organised attack they staged on police has made us think deeper,” the Assam Police DGP wrote.
Mahanta went on to write, “We don’t think these are grieving relatives of the dead, but as we have identified, they were bad characters and their relatives with criminal records- records that were there within the thana. Proof, incrementing evidences all- burnt down. So don’t think this is a simple action-reaction incident. There's much more to it. We'll get to the bottom of this.”
“So respected peace loving people of Assam, this is our assurance to you, while we will not let go of any police personnel who's found guilty, we will act even tougher against elements who think that they can escape Indian justice system, by burning down Police Stations. We will simply not allow this. Let this be a warning to all antisocial/criminal elements,” he added.