Police Encounter in Guwahati: Fake Currency Racket Suspect Injured
Incident Overview
Ajay Biswakarma (second from left) and Debojit Deori (second from right) with the seized Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN). (AT Photo)
Guwahati, July 4: A suspect linked to a counterfeit currency operation was injured during a police encounter in Kangkan Nagar, Guwahati, early Saturday morning after he allegedly tried to escape from custody, according to police reports.
The individual, identified as Ajay Biswakarma from Deorigaon in Dhemaji district, was apprehended by the Guwahati Police in connection with a counterfeit currency scheme that was dismantled in the Six Mile area, where fake notes valued at Rs 2.56 lakh were confiscated.
Reports indicate that Biswakarma attempted to flee, prompting police to fire a single shot that hit him below the knee. He is reportedly involved in three separate cases registered at various police stations in Guwahati.
Dr. Devajit Choudhury, Superintendent of GMCH, confirmed his medical status, stating that Biswakarma was brought to the casualty ward by Dispur Police following the incident.
"He was admitted to our casualty ward by the Dispur Police. They reported that he was shot around 3:30 am in Kangkan Nagar. Initially, he was stable, with a normal neurological assessment. The surgery and orthopaedic teams evaluated him and found gunshot wounds below the knee, with both entry and exit points. He is currently receiving treatment," Dr. Choudhury explained.
This encounter occurred shortly after Dispur Police detained Biswakarma and another suspect, Debojit Deori, during a crackdown on a counterfeit currency network in the Six Mile area.
Acting on specific intelligence, a police team stopped a vehicle (AS-01-PC-8433) near Nagaland House under the Dispur Police Station's jurisdiction and arrested the two individuals.
"During initial questioning, they were identified as habitual offenders allegedly involved in the distribution and trafficking of counterfeit currency," a police official from Dispur stated.
A search of the vehicle uncovered a black backpack containing eight bundles of counterfeit Rs 500 notes totaling Rs 2.56 lakh, along with other incriminating evidence.
During interrogation, Biswakarma reportedly claimed that an organized racket was circulating counterfeit currency worth nearly Rs 100 crore from the Bongaon-Mangalda area of Lakhimpur. Police are currently verifying this assertion.
This arrest is part of a series of coordinated operations conducted across Guwahati in recent days, which revealed a significant fake currency network with suspected interstate connections, leading to multiple arrests and the seizure of counterfeit currency exceeding Rs 20 lakh.
The incident raises further concerns regarding police encounters in Assam. Over the past five years, the state's record of encounter killings and shootings has been under scrutiny, with ongoing inquiries and public debate, including a petition before the Supreme Court.
Recent encounters have involved murder suspect Rose Ali in Nalbari and rape suspect Akkas Ali near Chhaygaon, both of whom were shot after allegedly attempting to escape police custody.