Top CRPF Officer Alleges That March 30 Encounter Killing Of Two Militants In Assam Was Staged

On March 30 this year, two suspected Bodo militants were killed in a cold-blooded encounter in a joint operation by the Indian Army, Assam Police, CRPF and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in Chirang district of Assam. But, an Inspector General of Police, serving with the CRPF, has now questioned this claim by the uniformed forces. A report in the Indian Express says that Gujarat cadre IPS officer Rajnish Rai, currently posted in Shillong with CRPF as IG, North East Sector, has alleged that the encounter was staged and claimed that he has evidence to prove it.

According to the report, Rai has sent a report to the CRPF headquarters in Delhi, also marked to Assam Chief Secretary among others, with all the details.

Earlier, in 2007, Rai had arrested three top IPC officers of Gujarat- DG Vanzara, MV Dinesh, Rajkumar Pandiyan in the Sohrabuddin encounter case. He was then transferred to the state crime records bureau. He had later accused former DG PC Pande of “acquiescent role to the criminal conspiracy of Amit Shah,” the report adds.

According to NDTV,  the official version  regardnig the Assam encounter said the police had come under indiscriminate fire from a group of 4-5 persons during a joint operation. This, the police claim led to the death of two suspected militants of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit).

But Rai has claimed that he has witnesses to prove his allegations. He, however, has not attached their statements to protect their identity. He said they would be presented to an independent investigation team. According to the report, he also has other pieces of evidence such as GPS records to prove his claims.

"Security forces do not have the right to kill them in cold blood under the cloak of larger societal good. Therefore, it is crucial to strike a balance between the individual human rights and societal interests while combating the insurgency," the report said, according to NDTV.

The CRPF's official, in its defence, wrote in an official report that Rai, "present(s) a fictitious account of the joint operation by the security forces to conceal pre-planned murders of two persons in custody and present it as some brave act of professional achievement".