A CRPF Inspector General, deputed in the Northeast, has alleged that the death of two suspected members of a Bodo militant group in a gunfight with security forces in Assam in March was “a staged gunfight”.
The Home Ministry has sought the clarification over the issue.
In his 13-page report, Rajnish Rai, a 1992-batch Gujarat cadre Indian Police Service officer, alleged that the gunfight carried out by the Assam Police, the Army, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), its jungle warfare unit CoBRA and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on 29-30 March in Simlaguri area of Chirang district was a “fictitious account” of the operation to conceal pre-planned murders of the two National Democratic Front of Bodoland-Songbijit (NDFB-S) insurgents.
Rai Alleges Custodial Killings
Rai, in his 17 April report, said the two insurgents were killed in custody and it was presented as some brave act of professional achievement.
A Home Ministry official said the ministry has sought a report to CRPF Director General Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar over the allegation made by the IG-rank official of the three-lakh strong force. Bhatnagar said police were already investigating the case.
“The IG had sent the report when my predecessor was in charge. The state police is investigating the matter. So there is no need for any other immediate action,” he said.
Rai, Deputy Chief of the CRPF formations in the Northeastern states, has said that he had conducted a “discreet” inquiry over the matter on his own.
He had also sent the report to the Assam Chief Secretary and chairperson of the Unified Command of security forces, the CRPF headquarters here, the chief of the Army's Assam-based 4 Corps and the Director General of the SSB.
Rai has identified the two killed NDFB-S insurgents as Lucas Nazary and David Islary.
The forces, the IG said, have mentioned in the FIR that the two were killed in an exchange of fire, but as multiple security forces are involved in the incident, "it is necessary to entrust the investigation of this matter to an external independent agency for an unbiased, impartial and thorough investigation".
“The security forces involved in the joint operation must truly reflect how systems and processes have weakened over a period of time, resulting in commission of such unlawful acts in a planned and coordinated manner,” he said.
“It is absolutely necessary that urgent systemic reforms be initiated to prevent such wrongdoings in future,” Rai said in his report. He also called the “custodial killings” “worse than insurgency/militancy” as they have the state backing them.
Important Points of the Report
GPS records show the CRPF unit of CoBRA visiting the suspected encounter site in Simlaguri a few hours before it took place.
It leads to the suspicion that the CoBRA (CCCC) team was trying to identify a suitable location where the alleged encounter with the NDFB(S) cadres could be stage managed.Report
“Discreet” enquiries by senior officials, who offered contradicting versions of the events, are referred to in the report.
It states that the witnesses, who identified the bodies, claim that the men were picked up by the cadres from D-Kalling on the night of the encounter. Rai has said that his claims haven’t been attached in the main report to protect the witnesses, but will be given to an independent investigation team.
An 11-year-old boy was in the house from where the “suspects” were picked, and the report states that he was taken away by a woman living in the adjacent house, even as the operation was on.
Team No 15 of 210 CoBRA was involved in the operation, states the report made by those involved in the operation. Yet, when asked by the enquiry officer, some of the men refused being part of the team. The report remarks that it seems strange as these were the same men taking credit for the operation earlier.
The report has suggested that the team of Army and Assam Police picked up the two men from the village and then met another team at Ouguri, and the decision to kill the two was taken then.
Encounter Guidelines Followed: Assam DG
Assam DG Mukesh Sahay’s reaction to Rai’s report was:
Whenever there is an encounter, there are laid down guidelines. All those guidelines are being strictly followed. An inspector general of police and a magistrate are enquiring into the matter. As far as this (Rai’s) report is concerned, we will think about taking cognisance of it after the magisterial enquiry is over.
RR Bhatnagar, the CRPF DG said that he would wait for the Assam Police to finish their probe.
From the two “suspects”, security personnel said they recovered one 5.56 mm INSAS rifle along with magazine and two live rounds 5.56 ammunition, nine empty cases of 5.56 ammunition, one 7.65 mm revolver along with three rounds of 7.65 ammunition, three empty cases of 7.65 ammunition and one Chinese hand grenade.
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