Assam student leader lynching- Main accused dies in accident while trying to flee

New Delhi, December 1

The prime accused in the Assam lynching case died in a road accident while trying to flee police custody. 

The police said, Niraj Das was among the 13 arrested for allegedly beating an All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) leader Animesh Bhuyan to death in Jorhat on November 29. Das is a history sheeter in many narcotic drugs cases. 

The police said the incident took place around 1.30 am at night in the Jorhat-Mariani road.

Das was in police custody and was being interrogated in an alleged drug consignment case and was being taken to Nakchari area in police protection where he was going to aide police in seizing the alleged drug consignment. 

According to the police and as reported in local media in Assam, Das jumped out of the back of the car (jeep) and the escort vehicle behind him accidentally rammed him over. The escort vehicle also lost its balance and collided into a wall, injuring three policemen inside it. 

While the injured have been taken to the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Das was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

As per the case details, 50 people had attacked AASU leader Animesh Bhuyan and his two companions after alleging that the trio’s vehicle had hit an elderly man riding a scooter. While Bhuyan was beaten to death, the two others, who were injured.

When the police probed the case, they found out that Bhuyan’s vehicle had not rammed into the elderly man (Niraj Das’ father) rather the man was allegedly in inebriated state and rammed into Bhuyan’s vehicle. 

When Bhuyan and his friends rushed to help him, he allegedly began shouting that they had run him over after which a mob gathered and the situation turned violent.The police arrested Das’s father top among the total 13 persons arrested for lynching that led to Bhuyan’s death.