Guwahati, Feb 10: : The Assam government has transferred Nagaon superintendent of police Anand Mishra to the Assam Police Headquarters here and given temporary charge of heading the police force in Nagaon district to an additional SP, an order by the home and political departments said.
“In the interest of public service, Anand Mishra, Superintendent of Police, Nagaon is transferred and attached to Assam Police Headquarter, Ulubari until further orders. He stands released with immediate effect,” the notification signed by Niraj Verma, state principal secretary (home and political departments), and issued late Wednesday evening said.
The order came after Mishra had earlier in the day addressed a during a media conference in Nagaon, acknowledging the recommendations of the report submitted by the additional chief secretary P.K Barthakur following an inquiry into the firing by police personnel of the anti-narcotics squad at Kacholukhowa Tiniali in Nagaon on the night of January 22, resulting in injury to Kirti Kamal Bora, a former AASU leader.
The former student leader had reportedly questioned the police as to why they were “beating” Hussain, after which he was shot at by police personnel from the Nagaon anti-narcotics squad, constituted by Mishra.
The Nagaon SP had however stated in the media conference that the probe, now handed over to the criminal investigation department (CID) of Assam Police, must also find out if Kirti Kamal had links with a drugs case accused, Zakir Hussain, “who has been charge-sheeted under the NDPS Act.”
“If Kirti Kamal Bora was innocent then why was he with a drug case or trying to protect him during the operation? The probe, which has been handed over to the CID, will unearth more details,” the SP had said, even as he warned that no person involved in illegal drugs trafficking would be spared.
Meanwhile, additional SP (headquarters) Nagaon, Dhruba Bora has been given the temporary charge (of the SP’s post) to look after the current duties until further orders.
According to Kirti Kamal, the police had verbally abused him and when he protested, he was dragged from his bike and assaulted, before being shot at. The incident sparked a state-wide furore, with pressure groups seeking a judicial inquiry.
Kirti Kamal (22) is currently recuperating at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital.
While the police allege that Kirti Kamal was involved in the drug racket and attacked policemen, his family claimed he had been “wrongly framed”.
On Tuesday, the state’s home and political department directed the Assam Police DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta to disband the present form of anti-narcotics squad and to immediately suspend a sub-inspector.
The move was based on the recommendations of the report submitted by the additional chief secretary following an inquiry, ordered by the chief minister on January 23, into the firing.
Meanwhile, Mishra reported to the Assam Police headquarters in Ulubari here on Thursday morning, even as he did not make any comments when reporters approached him.