Assam police encounters Human rights panel orders probe seeks report by mid-Aug

    Guwahati,Jul 13(PTI) The Assam Human Rights Commission
(AHRC), taking suo moto cognisance of media reports, has asked
the state government to institute an inquiry into the
circumstances that led to the death and injury of 12 persons
in police encounters over the past two months.
    AHRC member Naba Kamal Bora, in an order, noted that
news reports have pointed out all the accused were unarmed and
in handcuffs during the police firing.
    He also stated that firing upon an accused when in
police custody or during a chase should not be made a trend.
    Considering the "gravity of the situation", the
commission has directed the state government's principal
secretary of the home and political department to institute an
inquiry to find out the facts and circumstances leading to the
death and injuries of the 12 accused, said the order, which
was made available to the reporters on Tuesday.
    The commission has asked the principal secretary to
submit the probe report by August 17.
    Earlier, a Delhi-based lawyer from Assam, Arif
Jwadder, had filed a complaint with the National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC) against the Assam Police for the series of
encounters that have taken place since Himanta Biswa Sarma
took over as chief minister on May 10.
    He had urged the NHRC to take note of these incidents
and call for an inquiry.
    Justifying the encounters, Sarma had on July 5 said
that shooting at criminals "should be the pattern" if they
attempt to escape from custody or try to snatch guns from the
police to fire at them.
    Opposition parties have, however, decried the recent
incidents of firing, with state Congress chief Ripun Bora
saying that the CM's statement has "dangerous ramifications",
and that if this practice of encounters is not checked Assam
may soon become a "police state". PTI DG
RMS RMS

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)