Was a Suspected Drug Trafficker Injured While Trying to Escape in Assam’s Barpeta?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Suspected drug trafficker injured during police encounter.
- Incident occurred in Mailkuchi village of Barpeta district.
- Authorities are intensifying efforts against drug trafficking.
- An investigation into the police shooting is currently underway.
- Hussain's condition is reported as stable.
Guwahati, Nov 16 (NationPress) A man who is believed to be connected to an ongoing drug trafficking operation in lower Assam sustained injuries from police gunfire after he reportedly attempted to flee from custody during the early hours of Sunday.
The incident took place at approximately 2 a.m. in Mailkuchi village, located in the Barpeta district, as reported by officials.
The individual injured has been named as Anowar Hussain, who resides in the same village and has been under police surveillance due to his suspected role in distributing narcotics throughout the district.
A senior official indicated that a team from Tarabari Police Station had apprehended Hussain late Saturday night after receiving new information linking him to a drug trafficking group that had previously evaded capture.
On November 6, the Tarabari Police conducted a routine check and intercepted an Alto car, seizing 11 soap cases filled with suspected heroin intended for local distribution. The individuals in the vehicle fled into the surrounding fields, prompting a thorough search for other members of the network.
Authorities stated that Hussain was being transported to several locations as part of an ongoing investigation aimed at recovering additional narcotics related to the previous seizure. However, during the night operation, he allegedly pushed one of the officers and attempted to escape into the darkness.
“We issued multiple warnings, but he continued to flee. To prevent his escape, the police were compelled to fire,” noted a senior officer.
Hussain sustained a gunshot wound to his left thigh and was promptly transported to Barpeta Medical College and Hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment. His condition has been reported as stable.
A team of senior officials, including Barpeta Superintendent of Police Sushanta Biswas Sharma, Additional SP (Crime) Bidyut Bikash Bora Bhuyan, and Sadar DSP Jitesh Barman, visited the scene of the encounter on Sunday morning to review the events.
An official inquiry has been launched to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting, as is standard for all encounter-related incidents in Assam. Police are committed to continuing their crackdown on narcotics networks in Barpeta and neighboring districts, with several other suspects currently under investigation.