Assam: Unnatural Death Cases in Last One Year to be Re-Probed

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has instructed to re-examine all cases of unnatural death cases in the last one year in the state.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, CM Sarma said that SPs of all the districts in the state have been directed to re-open all unnatural death cases for investigation, which were reported over the last one year.

The chief minister said, "In the recently held conference of the superintendents of police, we have asked them to reopen and re-examine all the similar cases which are a year old. We instructed them to revisit the cases of unnatural deaths, which were closed by the court or police by terming them as suicides.”

This order from Himanta Biswa Sarma comes in the wake of the death case of the 13-year-old girl at Dhula in Darrang district in June this year.

The CM further said that other types of unnatural deaths like accidents and murders will also be looked into. Sarma also said that, a common man can seek re-examination of even 15-year-old cases.

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"All such cases of the last one year will be revisited. From now on, the SP and the DIG concerned of the area will visit the crime scene and satisfy themselves with the probe. Unless they are satisfied, the case will not be closed," he said.

The chief minister also said that the government is considering to bring in a "strong" standard operating procedure or amendments in existing laws regarding employment of domestic helps as cases of their torture and extreme brutality keep surfacing from time-to-time.

So far, a magistrate, an SP, an additional SP, the officer-in-charge of Dhula Police Station and three government doctors have been arrested in connection with the Dhula case.

Himanta Biswa Sarma had ordered the police chief to constitute a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a thorough investigation into the incident.

Accordingly, the case was transferred to CID on August 12 and a day-to-day investigation was conducted under the direct supervision of senior officers.

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