"There is no clarity if the boy has actually died," DC Megh Nidhi Dahal blames rumour-mongering for tension

For most part of the day, the Hailkandi administration has been on high alert. In a confrontation between irked locals and Police officials, several got injured. The Police had to fire tear gas in order to bring the law and order situation under control. The locals resorted to stone-pelting which damaged many public and private properties.

The clash broke near the Basic Road in Hailakandi. According to the locals, a Chanpur resident, Rahimuddin Barbhuiya has been lynched to death by the officials of Hailakandi Fire Station. Rahimuddin had allegedly stolen a mobile phone and Rs 25,000 cash from the station.

As per the official statement from the Hailakandi district’s information and public relations office, Rahimuddin Barbhuiya is a drug addict and convicted criminal. The statement released states, “He was caught by public and fire brigade personnel and handed over to the police after he stole a mobile and cash amounting to Rs.25,000 from fire personnel at the fire service station on Thursday. The police obtained a bond before letting him go. His whereabouts are not known.”

In the morning, the locals said that Rahimuddin was beaten last night in front of them and then rushed to the SK Roy Civil Hospital. Locals added that at SK Roy Hospital, the doctors referred him to Silchar Medical College and Hospital where he died. According to AIR’s news bulletin, Rahimuddin Barbhuiya was admitted to the Hospital in last 24 hours.

Was Rahimuddin really mob-lynched inside the fire station in Hailakandi? “For the most part of the day, we believed that Rahimuddin had actually died. But now I have been briefed by the Police that he cannot be traced. We never thought someone could peddle a rumour like this. However, the investigation is going on. At this stage, there is no clarity if the boy has actually died or even if the incident took place at all,” said Megh Nidhi Dahal, DC Hailakandi.

The deputy commissioner added that the boy’s family members informed that last night he had left for Silchar. DC Dahal did not confirm if Rahimuddin Laskar is a convicted criminal as the DIPR’s statement does. Dahal said, “Rahimuddin might have been involved in stealing before but I am yet to get a full report of the incident.”

However, for the brawl that took place throughout the day, Dahal blamed pre-mature rumour-mongering. He was of the opinion that when the boy’s family members themselves don’t know about the boy how can someone declare he is already dead. “The SP in-charge (Gaurav Upadhyay) has informed me that we are yet to locate the whereabouts of the boy. His own family members are also unaware of what happened. In fact, as per the reports I have got, his family told me that he left his home saying he is going to Silchar as his image has been dented here. Again, these might not be 100 per cent credible information,” added Dahal.

He has urged people to not give it a communal colour as there is no such evidence available yet. “We are investigating the matter and exploring all the angles,” he said.

The DIPR’s statement states that Fire Station Officer, Albert I Khobung denied that fire personnel were involved in beating the thief black and blue and said no external injury was found by doctors during the medical examination.

“Khobung said some miscreants instigated some local people to create law and order problems and are at work to malign the image of the fire personnel. The Fire Station Officer disclosed that the accused Barbhuiya is a drug addict with criminal records and has been disowned by his family for anti-social activities,” read DIPR’s statement.

The matter remains unclear as, within the administration, different offices are narrating different tales. What emerges as fact is that it’s too early to spell Rahimuddin Barbhuiya dead. The ball is now on Police’s court to trace the whereabouts of Rahimuddin.