Himanta says cops could have ‘exercised restraint’

GUWAHATI, Nov 23: In what may be termed as a “virtual confession”, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday made a candid observation that the state police had used force a “tad arbitrarily” even as he said that the Mukroh firing was triggered by an altercation between a section of villagers and forest guards.
Sarma also announced that his cabinet has decided to hand over the probe into violence at the border of the two states to the CBI.
Reacting to the media in New Delhi, Sarma said, “The issue is whether force (by police) was used disproportionately. The incident however has got nothing to do with the border. Assam-Meghalaya border has always been peaceful.”
Hinting that restraint could have been exercised by the Assam police, the chief minister said, “Force has been used. According to police, they have used force in defence. However, in my view, force has been used little arbitrarily. That should not have happened as lives have been lost. Monetary compensation has been announced (for the victims’ kin). Police personnel have been placed on suspension.”
“The Assam government is sincerely doing what we can in this regard,” he added.
Meanwhile, Indranil Baruah, Commandant, 23rd Assam Police (IR) Battalion, Siloni, Karbi Anglong has replaced Imdad Ali, the SP of Hamren, West Karbi Anglong, who has been transferred and posted in place of the former.
The Assam cabinet meeting, held quite unprecedentedly in Delhi, also asked the state police force accused of shooting dead five villagers from Meghalaya on Tuesday, to use restraint while dealing with issues or disturbances involving civilians.
The state government also decided to request Justice (retd) Rumi Phukan of Gauhati High Court to conduct a judicial probe into the circumstances that led to the incident, he added.
The judicial probe will be completed within 60 days, Sarma said.