Prime accused in Assam police station arson dies in accident

Guwahati, May 30 The prime accused in the Batadrava police station arson case in Nagaon district of Assam died in a road accident in the wee hours of Monday. The police said that the accused, identified as Ashiqul Islam, tried to flee from the police car and was hit by another police vehicle. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead.

Nagaon Superintendent of Police Leena Doley told that the accident occurred in the Raidingiya area at around 2.30 a.m. when Ashiqul Islam jumped out of the car he was in and was hit by another police vehicle.

"During interrogation, the accused had confessed that he kept illegal arms at his home. A police team went to his house and recovered one 7.62 mm pistol, one 0.22 mm pistol, seven live bullets and a mobile phone. We also recovered the red t-shirt which he was wearing on the day of the Batadrava incident. While returning to the police station late Sunday night, the accident happened," said Doley.

A day earlier, Ashiqul Islam had surrendered before Nagaon police, following which he was taken into custody. The police claimed that the accused was a robber operating in the district for the last couple of years.

A total of 11 people have been arrested by Nagaon police in connection with the Batadrava arson. On May 21, the Batadrava police station was set on fire by a mob after the alleged custodial death of a fish seller, Safiqul Islam. The administration reacted to the arson by bulldozing the houses of five people accused of involvement in the incident, claiming they had encroached on the land.

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