Kokrajhar (Assam), January 25 (PTI): A suspected drug peddler was shot at by the Assam Police when he allegedly tried to flee custody in Kokrajhar district, a senior officer said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred when the suspect was being taken to Serfanguri area on Monday night to purportedly show locations where drugs had been kept hidden, Kokrajhar superintendent of police Prateek V Thube said.
The person was arrested from Srirampur on Monday and 790 gm ganja, valued at about Rs 1.50 lakh, was recovered from him.
"During interrogation, he claimed that he had concealed more packets of ganja near Serfanguri area. While being taken to the spot, he attacked the police team and ran into a jungle," the SP said.
The police chased him and fired aiming at his leg to stop him from escaping, Thube said.
The man has been admitted to Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital, Barpeta, and his condition is said to be stable.
Altogether 32 people have been killed and at least 68 injured in police action since the BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, assumed office in May 2021.
The Gauhati High Court had on January 11 asked the Assam government to furnish case details of all police encounters recorded since May last year.
