Buried man's identity: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says mistake may have happened; Cong moves NHRC
Guwahati, Mar 1: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that there might have been a 'mistake' in the identification of the body of a 'dacoit', killed in a police encounter in Udalguri district last week, as the family of his alleged associate claimed it was of their kin.
Sarma, on Tuesday, however, stood firm by the police action in the incident, claiming that it was the suspected dacoits who had first shot at the cops.
The body has been exhumed and process for due identification initiated, a top police officer said.
The Congress sought the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) saying it is a serious matter if someone is shot dead by the police on mistaken identity.
"We have given the case to CID to probe the mistaken identity angle. Usually, the deputy commissioner's office does the inquest of a deceased. They might have done the probe hurriedly and made a mistake," Sarma told reporters here.
One person was killed in a shootout on February 24 while two policemen suffered bullet injuries. It took place after the police, following a tip-off about an impending robbery, went to a place where a most-wanted dacoit Kenaram Basumatary and his aide were purportedly present. The other man managed to escape.
Police later claimed that the deceased was Basumatary and the body was handed over to his family after identification by the mother, following which the family members buried it as per rituals on Friday.
The confusion arose when the family of one Dimbeshwar Muchahary from the neighbouring Baksa district came to the office of the Udalguri superintendent of police on Saturday evening and claimed that the buried body was his.
The family asserted that Basumatary had asked Muchahary to accompany him to some place and they left together a few days ago. The identity and whereabouts of the second person involved in the encounter are not yet known.
The chief minister pointed out that Basumatary's mother and brother had identified the body, which led the police to hand it to them.
Asked if the police firing was done without ascertaining the identity of the suspects, Sarma, who also holds the Home portfolio, said it was a retaliatory action.
"Whatever be the case, the police were not wrong in firing. There was a firing from a vehicle at the police party. One sub-inspector and a constable were injured. When police fired (in retaliation), they did not even know if it was Kenaram or Dimbeshwar in the vehicle," he said.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders Debabrata Saikia and Rakibul Hussain, who visited Udalguri on Tuesday, sought the NHRC's intervention in the matter.
In a letter to the NHRC chairman, they said the shootout has 'raised the question of violation of human rights as well as abuse of police law in action'.
"A suspect shot and killed by police on mistaken identity is a serious matter," Saikia, who is the leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, and his deputy Hussain said.
They demanded a proper enquiry to verify the identity of the deceased, compensation to the victim's family and adherence by law-enforcing agencies to procedure for arrest and punishment "rather than resorting to extreme means like encounter".
Police have maintained that Basumatary was wanted in several cases of armed robberies in Assam as well as neighbouring Meghalaya.
Muchahary alias Gobla is also a criminal who had been arrested with arms earlier, and he and Basumtary are also shown as absconders in one case.
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
