Encounter in Karimganj; Drug peddler Kausar Ahmed incurred bullet injury during operation

Police opened fire in Karimganj’s Patherkandi area after an altercation with the drug peddlers. Since Padmanabh Baruah took charge as Superintendent of Police – Karimganj, he intensified the drive against narcotic substances. Today, Patherkandi Police Station conducted an operation in the Lakhipur area, and there the officials had to open fire.

Speaking with Barak Bulletin, SP Baruah informed that around five peddlers counter-attacked the police officials and tried to snatch the service pistol. “Based on a secret tipoff, the Police officials launched an operation. There were five of them and four managed to escape from the spot of crime. The Police fired at Kausar Ahmed and he got injured. He has been rushed to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital,” said IPS Padmanabh Baruah, SP, Karimganj Police.

When asked about the circumstances under which the Police officials had to take the extreme step, Baruah said, “The suspected peddlers tried to overpower the Police and at the same time attempted to snatch the service revolver and that is why the Police opened fire.”

During the operation, the Police officials recovered 72 grams of suspected brown sugar. Police sources also informed that Kausar Ahmed is a local resident of the Patherkandi area.

The spokespeople of Silchar Medical College and Hospital refused to comment at this stage as the suspected peddler is still under treatment. The shootout occurred at around 5:30 pm today.

It is worth mentioning here that recently, there have been several such occasions when the Police opened fire at criminals while they were trying to escape from custody or attempting a counter-attack. The shootouts have been discussed in the Assembly too. However, since Himanta Biswa Sarma took over as the chief minister of Assam, this is the first such occasion in Barak Valley, when the Police had to open fire.