Mobile phone theft of fire service personnel sparks trouble in Hailakandi

A CORRESPONDENT

HAILAKANDI: Some miscreants laid seize to the fire service station at Basic Road in Hailakandi town on Saturday at around 10.30 am and pelted stones at police and security personnel over the theft of a mobile phone and cash of a fire personnel.

Rahimuddin Barbhuiya, a drug addict and convicted criminal, was caught by public and fire brigade personnel and handed over to the police after he stole a mobile phone and cash amounting to Rs 25,000 from a fire personnel at the fire service station on Thursday, stated a press release. The police obtained a bond before letting him go. His whereabouts is not known.

As rumours spread that the alleged thief had died at SMCH (Silchar Medical College and Hospital) following third degree treatment meted out to him by fire brigade personnel, a fact that could not be verified by the administration, tension exacerbated with miscreants instigating some local people to gherao the fire station and to pelt stones. As things started drifting out of control and was snowballing into a law-and-order problem, police and security personnel resorted to tear gas shell and mild lathicharge to disperse the agitated crowd. Some police and security personnel, including Additional Superintendent of Police Kulendra Nath Deka, sustained injuries when stones were hurled by the irate crowd.

Circle Officer Tridip Roy and other civil and police officials were present when the incident took place. Fire Station Officer Albert I Khobung denied that fire personnel were involved in beating the thief and said that no external injury was found by doctors during medical examination. Khobung said some miscreants instigated the local people to create law-and-order problem and were trying to malign the image of the fire personnel. The Fire Station Officer disclosed that the accused Barbhuiya was a drug addict with criminal records and had been disowned by his family for anti-social activities. Khobung said that an FIR would be lodged over the incident that took place in front of the fire service station.

Additional SP, Deka revealed that four fire service personnel had been picked up for interrogation. Investigation is on to find out those behind the incident and to trace the whereabouts of Barbhuiya. 

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