No 'fake encounter' in Assam to date Minister

Guwahati, Feb 12 (PTI) Assam Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika on Monday claimed that no "fake encounter" has taken place in the state so far.
    He said magisterial enquiries, however, have been ordered in several cases of custodial deaths.
    Hazarika, replying on behalf of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, to a query from Independent legislator Akhil Gogoi, said that 34 accused have died in police custody from May 10, 2012 to January 31, 2024.
    Another 131 accused have been injured while in custody, he added.
    He said FIRs have been lodged in each case of custodial death or injury, although magisterial enquiries had not been ordered in each instance.
    Magisterial probes have been ordered in 97 cases, while no such probe has been ordered in 60 cases, he added.
    Asked about data on "fake encounters" in the state, Hazarika said there have been no instances of such happenings in the state so far.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)