Assam: "Criminal" Shot During Bid To Escape From Police Custody

GUWAHATI: Early on Sunday, a 25-year-old "habitual offender" was shot by police while allegedly attempting to escape their custody by stealing a policeman's service weapon. According to reports, the incident happened at Teok in the Jorhat district.

Reports claim that the accused person's name is Pranjal Bora and in order to apprehend one of his assistants who was associated with a shooting that occurred in Jorhat town on Saturday, the police team was en route to Amguri Sivasagar district, who allegedly belongs to an international criminal organization.

The police claimed that he operated a gang that was involved in numerous crimes, including extortion and dacoity, from several houses that were on rent in the Jorhat, Sivasagar, and Golaghat districts.

According to sources, Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam, instructed the state police to take severe action against criminals earlier in 2021, ordering officers to shoot inmates in the leg if they attempted to flee from jail.

In response to an upsurge in incidents of police shooting suspects who were reportedly trying to flee from custody, Sarma stated, "Someone questioned me today about whether the police shooting at people who attempt to flee from arrest has become a common occurrence that this should be the pattern for anyone who attempts to leave after seizing police arms or someone who attempts to flee while recreating a crime scene."

"The law permits shooting somebody in the leg, but police shouldn't shoot them in the chest," The chief minister, who oversees the state's home department, stated during a meeting with officers in charge of police stations across the state that the police in Assam shouldn't be afraid to take such action (against criminals), but no such action should be taken against innocent people.

"The police would die if they didn't take action. However, before engaging in such legal action, Chief Minister Sarma stated, "Our conscience should be clear that whatever severe action we are engaging in, it is for the public welfare and not for our own interest.

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