HAILAKANDI, Aug 29 - Police and CRPF personnel were deployed in Hailakandi�s Lakshmisahar area on Saturday after about 500 local people gheraoed the office of Fire and Emergency Service and pelted stones protesting against the alleged killing of a local youth for stealing a mobile phone and cash.
At least seven police personnel sustained injures in the incident. Four employees of Fire and Emergency Service have been picked up for interrogation. Official sources said that some miscreants laid siege to the fire station at Basic Road in Hailakandi town at around 10.30 am on Saturday and pelted stones at the police and security personnel over a theft incident of a mobile and cash of a fire personnel.
Government communiqu� stated that 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 and cash amounting to Rs 25,000 from a fire personnel at the fire station on Thursday.
Later, it was alleged that thief died at SMC&H following third degree treatment meted out to him by fire brigade personnel, a fact that could not be verified by the administration. Following the �rumour�, some local people gheraoed the fire station and started pelting 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 SP Kulendra Nath Deka, sustained injuries in the stone pelting incident.
Circle Officer Tridip Roy and other civil and police officials were present when the incident took place.
However, Fire Station Officer Albert I Khobung denied that fire personnel were involved in beating the thief and said no external injury was found by doctors during the medical examination. Khobung said that some miscreants instigated the local people to create a law and order problem.
The fire station officer disclosed that the accused is a drug addict with criminal records and has been disowned by his family for anti-social activities. Khobung said that an FIR would be filed in the incident that took place in front of the fire service station. Investigation is on to find out those behind the incident and to trace the whereabouts of Barbhuiya.
