Assam: Day After Mob Torched Police Station, Homes of Those 'Involved' Bulldozed
Locals vandalised the police station after a fish-seller was allegedly killed in custody.
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Video Producer: Shohini Bose
Video Editor: Prajjwal Kumar
Video Input: Anjana Dutta
A day after an angry mob set fire to a police station in Assam's Nagaon, the district administration has allegedly bulldozed the homes of people who were allegedly involved in the vandalism and arson of the station.
According to a report by news agency ANI, residence of five families were demolished on morning of 22 May by the administration. The authorities have also ordered a judicial probe into the death of Safikul Islam and has suspended the officer incharge of the Batadrava police station.
Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, the director general of police, told the reporters, "We take the unfortunate death of Safikul Islam very seriously and have put the OC of Batadrava police station on suspension and the rest of the staff closed. If there is any foul play at our end, we mean to find that and punish the guilty according to the law. No second thoughts."
Residences of 'Vandals' Demolished in Salonbari Village
The bulldozers reached Salonbari village in the morning and they were allegedly used to demolish over five residences belonging to those who were allegedly involved in the incidence of setting fire to Batadrava police station.
GP Singh, Special DGP Law and Order said that seven people have been arrested and 15 detained in connection to setting fire to the police station.
He further said that an SIT will be formed in the matter and added that an independent probe has been ordered into the alleged custodial death of Safikul Islam.
According to the police, Islam, a fish seller from the village of Salonbari was detained after complaints of him being drunk. Following his contested death, the angry mob attacked the the police station.
Angry Mob Torched Police Station Alleging Custodial Death
On Saturday, 21 May, alleging that Safikul was killed in police custody, an angry mob from Salonbari torched the police station and indulged in vandalism. Leena Doley, Nagaon SP, told the reporters that two police personnel were injured and are being treated in the hospital for minor injuries.
While the police claim that the person was brought to the station as he was found on the road at night in a drunken state, the mob alleged that the cops demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000 and a duck after detaining him.
The family of Safikul Islam has claimed that the police assaulted him in custody as they were not able to meet the demands made by the police.
The family also said that that when they wished to visit Safikul in the police station, they were told that he had been admitted in the hospital given his poor health conditions. On reaching the hospital, the family learnt about Safikul’s death and that his body had been shifted to the morgue.
(With inputs from ANI and Indian Express)
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