Police shooting at criminals, a strange pattern in Assam

Facts

171: Total number of incidents brought to the attention of the court by the Government of Assam. They took place between May 2021 and August 2022

Victims – 56 dead, 139 injured

Persons hit by bullets were usually rape and murder suspects, suspected drug and livestock traffickers, etc

Details on the total number of cases after August 2022 are not available

After detainees were increasingly shot in the legs as they tried to flee, people questioned the capabilities of police personnel

The state’s crime rate per population of 1 lakh fell from 387.5 in 2019 to 183.1 in 2023. It was a decline of 52%

Major meetings from May 2021 to August 2022

July 8, 2021: Dibrugarh cattle smuggler Mohammad Akhtar Raja Khan alias Tiklu Khan injured in a shooting while trying to flee from custody

July 3, 2021: Two arrested persons, Abul Hussain Barbhuiya alias Abu, 26, and Kamrul Islam alias Lakoi, 35, killed in police firing while allegedly trying to flee

July 7, 2021: Akhtar Raja Khan, arrested for cattle theft, shot in the leg while trying to escape

July 9, 2021: Tapan Buragohain, 26. Shot in the leg while trying to flee from police custody. Suspected in ONGC kidnappings

July 9, 2021: Jeharul Islam, 30. Known human trafficker. Police shot him in the leg as he tried to escape

July 11, 2021: Joynal Abedin, 47. Killed in police firing. Was charged with robbery and armed robbery

July 15, 2021: Asadul Islam, who is being tried in a drug case, is shot dead during a police encounter

July 22, 2021: Babul Deka, ULFA (I) linkman, injured in police firing

July 25, 2021: Kawsar Ahmed, a drug trafficker, injured in police firing

August 22, 2021: 3 armed dacoits killed in police firing

October 18, 2021: Drug trafficker Rahul Prasad is seriously injured when police opened fire as he tried to escape

September 19, 2021: Fleeing robber injured in police fire, drug traffickers escape after being shot

September 23, 2021: Arrested child murderer shot in the foot by police as he tried to escape

November 21, 2021: Three suspects are injured in police firing at three different places while trying to escape custody

January 15, 2022: Suspected ATM thief Mussadik Hussain injured in police firing

January 25, 2022: Suspected drug trafficker shot in the foot by police

January 22, 2022: A leader of the All Assam Students’ Union shot in the foot by police in Nagaon district

January 29, 2022: Fleeing criminal Sariful Hussain, alias Moina Miya, shot in the foot by police in Karimganj

February 17, 2022: Suspected marijuana smuggler injured in police firing in Kokrajhar

March 11, 2022: Two drug peddlers injured in police firing in Lakhimpur

March 17, 2022: Two alleged rapists killed in separate police encounters while trying to escape custody

March 16, 2022: Biki Ali, main suspect in a rape case, shot dead by police

March 22, 2022: Accused Harindra Ram shot in the left leg by police

March 26, 2022: Criminal Kamal Gogoi alias Pappu, sustains a gunshot wound in his left leg during a police firing while escaping custody

April 8, 2022: Drug trafficking accused Jeherul Islam injured in police firing in Morigaon

April 21, 2022: Man arrested in rape case is shot in the leg during police fire as he tries to escape