Guwahati, Jan 6: A suspected drug peddler, who is also wanted in several dacoity cases, was injured after he was shot at by police while attempting to evade arrest in Assam's Nagaon district, a senior officer said on Thursday.
Acting on a tip-off, the anti-narcotics squad of the district police carried out an operation in Saidaria in Rupohihat police station area on Wednesday night. The accused, also wanted in at least three dacoity cases, was planning to carry out a drug deal, Nagaon Superintendent of Police Anand Mishra told PTI.
"On seeing the police team, he first started throwing stones on our personnel and tried to flee. He was chased, and this time, he attacked the law enforcers with a stick. He was then shot at the thigh so that he couldn't escape," the officer said.
The accused is undergoing treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, the SP said.
A total of 32 accused have been gunned down and at least 60 injured in police firing while trying to escape from custody or evade arrest since the second BJP government under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma assumed office in May last year.
The rising number of shoot-outs whipped up a political furore with the opposition alleging that the Assam Police has turned "trigger happy" and is indulging in "open killings" under the new regime.
Unfazed by the criticism, Sarma on July 15 last year had said in the Assam Assembly that the state police has "full operational liberty" to fight the criminals within the ambit of the law.
The Gauhati High Court had on January 4 asked the Assam government to furnish all case details of the alleged encounters that have been taking place unabated since the ruling BJP retained power in May last year.
