An Inspector General of Police (IGP) with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) serving in the north-east has claimed that an encounter carried out by the Army, CRPF, Assam police and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in Assam’s Chirang district on March 30 was staged, the Indian Express reports.

Rajnish Rai, IGP, North-East sector posted in Shillong, has alleged in a report sent to CRPF headquarters in Delhi that the killing of two suspected members of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit), or NDFB(S) faction, was orchestrated to appear like an encounter. According to Rai, the two men were picked up from a house in D-Kalling village and killed in cold blood in Simlaguri village under Amguri police station and subsequently, weapons were planted on their bodies.

The two NDFB(S) cadres slain in the operation have been identified as Lucas Narzary alias N Langfa and David Islary alias Dayud.

In his report, Rai writes that GPS records show a CRPF unit visiting the encounter spot a few hours before it took place, which leads to the suspicion that the “team was trying to identify a suitable location where the alleged encounter with the NDFB(S) cadres could be stage managed”. He also cites witnesses who have identified the two men killed in the encounter as those picked up from D-Kalling village the same night.

Calling for an investigation into the alleged encounter, Rai observed that, “Security forces do not have the right to kill them (dastardliest of criminals/militants) in cold blood under the cloak of larger societal good.” He further added, “Had this unlawful act been committed by a group of deviant officers, I would not have been so concerned. However, since multiple security agencies were involved in this incident, it indicates a deeper institutional malady in the functioning of the country’s most prestigious security forces.”

Assam Director General of Police (DGP) said that guidelines pertaining to encounters were followed and that ”an inspector general of police and a magistrate are enquiring into the matter”. Meanwhile, CRPF DGP RR Bhatnagar told IE “appropriate action will be taken” if the Assam police probe finds anything wrong with the encounter.