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Assam orders probes into police atrocities

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IANS Guwahati
Last Updated : Oct 09 2014 | 6:11 PM IST

The Assam government Thursday ordered two separate probes into the distribution of poor quality relief materials and alleged police atrocities on flood-hit people in the state's Goalpara district.

One probe will be conducted by a magistrate while the other probe will be carried out by a deputy inspector general (DIG)-level officer of police.

Several people were injured in the district's Bolbola area Wednesday after police resorted to lathi charge to disperse a mob, which had blocked the National Highway 37 (NH-37) to protest against the supply of poor quality flood relief material.

The flood-affected people complained about the poor quality of clothes and refused to accept them.

The situation turned bad as soon as the people started to burn the clothes supplied by the administration and blocked the NH 37, compelling police to use force.

Assam Parliamentary Secretary for Home Etowa Munda, who visited the Bolbola area and interacted with the flood-hit people, police and the district administration, said two probes were ordered into the incident.

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"The state government has already ordered a magisterial probe into the incident. We are also going to inquire the allegation of police atrocities by the concerned DIG of Assam Police," Munda said.

Goalpara Superintendent of Police Nitul Gogoi, however, said police resorted to a mild lathi charge after they failed to convince the people to end the blockade.

"Our officials have tried to convince the people to end the blockade. However, the mob refused to police appeal and instead tried to damage vehicles on the road, forcing the police to resort to lathi charge," Gogoi said.

Goalpara along with the Kamrup (Metro) and Kamrup (Rural) have witnessed worst ever floods last month that led to killing of over 41 people and displacement of several lakhs of people in the three districts.

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First Published: Oct 09 2014 | 6:06 PM IST

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