Wanted dacoit injured in police firing in Assam

Guwahati, Jun 23 (PTI) A dacoit was injured in police firing when he allegedly attempted to flee from custody in Assam's Kamrup district, a police officer said on Sunday.

The criminal, along with three others, was apprehended by Boko police on Friday while trying to rob an ATM, the officer added.

"The accused, Kenaram Basumatary, is a wanted criminal wanted in several cases. We had taken him to Guwahati on a search operation on Saturday, based on information provided by him," the officer said.

While returning, Basumtary allegedly tried to attack the personnel accompanying him and flee, leading police to fire at him.

He sustained a leg injury and was admitted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, where he is reported to be stable, the officer said.

Basumatary's name had emerged in another police firing incident in February last year in Udalguri district in which one person was killed.

Initially, police claimed that the deceased was Basumatary, but a CID probe later found that it was a case of "mistaken identity".

The probe concluded that the deceased was not dacoit Basumatary, but a person identified as Dimbeswar Muchahary. While Muchahary's family asserted he was a "small-time farmer", police claimed he was a "hardened criminal".

Basumatary, a former NDFB militant, was wanted in several cases of armed robberies in Assam as well as neighbouring Meghalaya and had been arrested with arms on previous occasions, police had claimed earlier. PTI SSG MNB