DERGAON, Jan 16 - Three persons, including the owner of the vehicle that was entangled in the killing of the Barpathar OC Vinod Phangso, were arrested by the Golaghat police in connection with the January 10 incident.
The arrested include the owner of the Tata AC vehicle Uday Gupta, driver Rajesh Das and Mohan Gowala from Bokajan, Karbi Anglong. Police have seized the vehicle.
According to sources, the driver did not stop the vehicle even after being asked by the police, as he had no driving licence.
Meanwhile, addressing a press meet at Golaghat on Friday, Additional SP Nomal Mahato said preliminary investigation revealed that Phangso might have died in cross-firing, when a constable of Chungajan PS fired at the fleeing vehicle from the side. The ASP said Phangso had asked the Chungajan OC to try to stop the Tata AC, and accordingly, the police personnel of Chungajan PS tried to stop the vehicle, which was being chased by OC Phangso and his team in a Bolero.
When the Tata AC driver did not obey their orders, too, a constable at Chungajan PS opened fire. Unfortunately, the bullets hit the OC and the other constable instead, when their vehicle breezed past at breakneck speed.
However, the ASP clarified that this was only an assessment based on preliminary reports gathered from the police and other sources, and emphasised that the actual the reason behind the OC�s death would be known only after receiving the forensic lab report, as well as the report to be submitted by the inquiry officer SDPO, Dhansiri, Dilip Kr Baruah.
