Guwahati: In a major development, the Nagaon police arrested a crucial suspect in the infamous arson of the Batadrava police station on Tuesday.
The long-evading suspect Shafiqul Islam is accused of having ransacked the Batadrava police station’s grounds and assisted the main suspect Majida Khatun in setting the building on fire.
Shafiqul Islam was detained following a raid on a brick kiln run by one Akash Ali of the Moirabari area in Morigaon district during a coordinated operation by the Nagaon and Morigaon district police.
Only 13 of the 25 accused who were charged with arson in the Batadrava police station case on May 21, 2022, have reportedly been arrested by the Nagaon police. Asiqul Islam, one of the major defendants, also passed away after being struck by a car while attempting to flee from police custody.
According to sources, the police have not been provided with any information regarding the other 12 suspects, including Majida Khatun, who is currently evading capture in the Batadrava case.
It should be noted that Assam police filed a charge sheet in the arson of the Batadrava police station a month ago. At least 24 persons, including two minors, have been named by the Nagaon police who were looking into the matter.
There were about 11 women among the accused. 11 people, including two minors, were arrested out of the total number of accused listed on the charge sheet. The remaining 13 continued to flee.
Leena Doley, the superintendent of Nagaon police, told the media that the chargesheet was submitted ahead of the required 90-day deadline.
In order to expedite justice, the police have also asked that the case be tried in a fast-track court, she continued.
An angry mob set fire to the Batadrava police station on May 21 in protest over the reported death in custody of Safikul Islam, a 39-year-old local fish trader who had been taken into custody the day before.