In a distressing incident that has sent shockwaves through Assam, a Muslim businessman, Rabiul Islam, came forward with alarming allegations against the police. He claims that the police demanded a staggering sum of 2.5 crore rupees from him, coupled with chilling threats of a staged “encounter.”
Rabiul Islam’s harrowing experience has ignited a firestorm of controversy. He alleges that the threats and extortion attempts were orchestrated by a man who identified himself as an “encounter specialist.” This distressing account began on July 16 when a group of police personnel forcibly entered his family home around 1:30 am.
The police subjected Islam to a brutal ordeal, involving physical assault that lasted for hours. They demanded answers regarding drugs and cash, despite Islam’s insistence of having no knowledge of such matters. His residence was searched without a warrant, and numerous personal belongings were confiscated.
Following the unlawful detention at the Bhabanipur police station, the situation took a turn for the worse. Islam was taken to the residence of the Superintendent of Police, where he alleges further assaults and relentless questioning took place. Subsequently, he was transported back to the police station, where he claims the physical abuse continued. In addition, the police reportedly conducted searches at both his office and his father-in-law’s home on that fateful day.
The ordeal reached a horrifying climax when, late at night, Islam was placed inside a vehicle. Accompanying him were individuals in civilian attire and one person in a police uniform. They transported him to a detergent factory, where they threatened to shoot him, allegedly on the orders of the Director General of Police, Assam. Another person from a following car pressured him to confess to having links with jihadi elements and to the illegal acquisition of properties.
This shocking case has prompted swift and resolute action by the authorities. Several police personnel, including the high-ranking IPS officer Siddhartha Buragohan, Deputy Superintendent of Police Pushkal Gogoi, Additional Superintendent of Police Gayatri Sonowal, her husband Subhas Chander, Sub-Inspector Debajit Giri, and constable Inzamamul Hassan, along with three others, have been arrested in connection with these grave allegations.
The Director General of Police, Assam, G P Singh, has affirmed that the FIR was registered because the complaint appeared to be “prima facie true.” He also emphasized that lawful measures are being taken against the accused officers.
This disturbing incident has shed light on concerns of police misconduct and corruption in Assam, leading to heightened scrutiny and a demand for accountability in the state’s law enforcement agencies.
