Encounter spree: Assam government stands by police action to deal with criminals, says CM

Not cowed down by the growing clamour that Assam police has become trigger happy, Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that action against criminals within the law will continue and the government will stand by the police in its action against criminals.

Sarma who is in charge of Home portfolio while replying to question of drug menace in Assam by Asom Gana Parishad MLA Pradip Hazarika said, “Some people are calling Assam police trigger happy however probably these people must hold a workshop where they must train these people not to run away from police custody, not to snatch arms of police and not to attack police.”

Opposition parties including Congress have alleged Assam police under Sarma has become trigger happy. An advocate has filed a complaint against Assam Police in National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over alleged "encounter spree".


Since June 1, more than 20 instances of encounters either in custody or in raids

and five accused died. On Sunday last police open fired on drug peddler and gunned down an alleged dacoit in two different instances.

Sarma said, “However criminals who try to snatch revolvers or police attacks will get a befitting reply so long as I am the chief minister. I will swallow the poison but will defend the police so long as they are taking action within the ambit of the law.”

Sarma said the size of illegal drug trade in Assam is close to Rs4oo Crore. “In our tirade against illegal drug trade in the last two months 1,121 cases are registered and 1,879 drug peddlers. Around 28 kg heroin was seized. Huge quantities of cannabis, opium, cough syrup, morphine, methamphetamine tablets and other psychotropic substances were seized,” he said.

On July 17 and 18 Assam police burnt the seized drugs. He said,” Some militant outfits of Northeast India are engaged in illegal drugs trade. The network has included even some police officials. We cannot allow Assam to be “Udta Assam''. Some years there was the movie Udata Punjab which showed the drug menace in Punjab ''.

Calming that police have been able to nab just 20 percent of the illegal drugs trade, he said, “There are times when sources from militant outfit ULFA has tipped off Assam police about illegal drug consignment leading to seizure”.