The Guwahati Commissioner of Police Diganta Borah on Friday said that there is no such term as encounter in the language of police and sometimes the police have to take certain steps within the limits of law in connection to the recent open fire at two suspected thieves.
Borah said, “There is no such term as encounter in police language and whatever is needed to arrest the culprits are done. Sometimes we have to take certain extreme steps within the limit of law.”
He said that both the thieves, identified as Gaurav Paul and Mukesh Kumar, were involved in several robbery incidents such as snatching gold chains, mobile phones and so on.
The police recovered several stolen items from both the thieves.
Borah said, “Thieves never say they stole and families do not want to believe what their children have done.”
He further went on to say that since last few days several criminal activities was reported in the city regarding snatching of chains, mobile phones and many more.
The police conducted raids at several locations in the city and many have been apprehended for interrogation.
Borah said, “One thief tried to escape while other tried to escape with our pistol.”
“Police had to shoot in self-defence. The two thieves have been arrested on the basis of a case registered in November,” he said.
The firing incident happened when the thieves were arrested during the raid.
Earlier today, the police open fired at the two thieves near Geetanagar where they sustained bullet injuries after police open fired at them.
The thieves were arrested by Geetanagar police and were shot at while they tried to escape police custody.
Following the incident, they were immediately rushed to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).
Interacting with the media, injured Mukesh Kumar said, “Few days back one of my family members bought a new phone. We inserted one SIM that was registered with my name. Later, the police asked us to reach police station and questioned us regarding the phone. Then I don’t what happened and the police shot us. I didn’t try to escape, was just sitting at one place.”
GMCH official informed that the injured are being treated at the hospital and will be discharged as soon as they recover.
Meanwhile, mother of Gaurav said that the police came to their house around 12.30 at midnight and took away her mobile phone, gold jewelleries. They also broke their almirah and took away several items from it.
The mother said, “Gaurav is a drug addict however, he was never arrested by the police earlier.”
