Guwahati: Amid rising criminal activities in society, Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that “Shooting at criminals should be the pattern if they try to escape from custody or snatch arms from the police to open fire.”
On series of encounters of anti-social elements or dangerous criminals, Sarma endorsed zero-tolerance to crime against women, well-equipped law-keepers, error-free charge sheet writing, among other things.
Several incidents of shootouts, which have seen at least a dozen suspected insurgents and criminals being shot dead as they “tried to escape” from custody, have triggered a political storm in the state.
Sarma in his first-ever face-to-face meeting with the Officers In-Charge (OCs) of all police stations of Assam said that “If an accused tries to snatch the service gun and run away, or even simply flee, and on top of it he is, says, a rapist, the law allows shooting at such a person on the leg, but not on the chest,”
Sarma, who is also the state’s home minister, said “the law has allowed the police to shoot at accused or criminals if they open fire first or try to escape, but before doing what law has permitted us to do, we must keep our conscience clear that our work is for the good of the people and not to serve any interest of our own.”
Chief Minister of Assam told media that “Police has no authority for encounters. In a democracy, crime is fought through law and not encounter. These happen only when there are no other means,”
At least 12 suspected terrorists and criminals have been shot dead in the state since May after they reportedly tried to escape from custody, while several others, including rape accused and cattle smugglers, were injured.
