Tezpur, April 4 (PTI): A 60-year-old man accused of molesting a minor girl was injured when police fired at him after he allegedly tried to escape from custody in Assam's Biswanath district on Monday.
He has been admitted at the Tezpur Medical College and Hospital, police said.
The man was caught by villagers in Kathanbari area on Sunday on the allegation of molesting a minor girl and handed over to the police following which he was arrested.
Superintendent of Police Leena Doley said the accused was lodged at Biswanath police station and at around 1 am, he was taken out of his cell so that he could answer nature's call.
He pushed away the guards and attempted to flee. The office in-charge of the police station fired three rounds in the air but when the accused continued to run, he was shot in the leg, Doley said.
At least 39 suspected militants and criminals were shot dead in police encounters in the state since May last year as they reportedly tried to snatch weapons or attempted to escape from custody, while 91 accused were injured along with policemen.
