A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: Finally, a wanted absconding criminal, Gerjai met an unexpected death on Thursday. With his death, the terror in Dhakuakhana subdivision under the district has come to an end and the headache of Lakhimpur Police is over.
Notably, Raju Baruah, resident of Bhati Jalbhari village of Dhakuakhana, who was notorious as Gerjai, fled from the lock-up of the Dhakuakhana Subdivisional Magistrate Court by breaking the window of the toilet room on August 16. Since then he had been absconding.
On August 16, Gerjai was taken from Lakhimpur District Jail to present before the Dhakuakhana Subdivisional Magistrate for the hearing of cases No. GR-263/19, GR-75/21 and GR-106/21, which have been under trial. Along with him, two more criminals, identified as Jatin Tamuli of Bordoi Bam under Ghilamora Police Station and Sunti Das of Hujgaon, managed to run away. However, Dhakuakhana Police manage to catch Jatin Tamuli from No. 1 Bantow Gaon on the same day, but Gerjai and Sunti Das could not be traced.
On Thursday morning, Gerjai was noticed by local public while he was hiding in the water of a stream at Kilakili village under Ghilamora Police Station of Dhakuakhana subdivision. Then the public informed the police and tried to catch the criminal. At that time, Gerjai rushed at the public who had beaten him, before the police personnel arrived at the spot. Later, police recovered the criminal in a critical condition and shifted him to Dhakuakhana Subdivisional Civil Hospital. The attending doctor declared him brought dead. Then Executive Magistrate Abhijat Borah arrived at the hospital and in his presence, Dhakuakhana police sent the body to Lakhimpur Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem.
Notably, Gerjai was the other name of terror in Dhakuakhana for a decade-and-half. He was involved in various crimes like burglary, looting, rape and murder. Around 8 cases against him have been registered in Dhakuakhana, Ghilamora and Gogamukh Police Stations. He was apprehended on September 24 last year at Kapouhuwa village under Dhakuakhana subdivision. Dhakuakhana Police, led by Subdivisional Police Officer Soumarjyoti Bhuyan and OC Niranjan Baruah, had to launch a two-hour long operation to catch the criminal at a house located at the said village.
Police managed to catch him after an encounter when the criminal attempted to flee by attacking OC Niranjan Baruah and one more person. At that time, police personnel shot at his leg and then he was admitted to Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh where he was under treatment for a long period. Later, he was shifted to Lakhimpur District Jail.
Prior to it, Gerjai managed to run away once on January 22 after he was arrested. On that day, he ran away from the COVID-19 ward of the Lakhimpur Medical College and Hospital (LMCH) with handcuff in hand, while he was under treatment for coronavirus infection. Then one more case was registered against him at North Lakhimpur Police Station vide No. 57/22 U/S 224/379 under Section 51(B) of DM Act. However, a team of Dhakuakhona Police, led by Manturam Borah, the OC of Dhakuakhana Police Station, managed to nab the criminal at Bhati Jalbhari village on January 24, while he was hiding in the house of a local resident.
He was shifted to Dhakuakhana Police Station. Accordingly, the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case proceeded to Dhakuakhana Police Station and interrogated him. Later at night on January 25, while he was being brought by the IO to North Lakhimpur, the police vehicle had to stop due to the abrupt approaching of two trucks on the narrow bridge over the River Konanadi under Boginandi Police Station. Taking advantage of it, Gerjai once again attempted to flee from police custody by pushing the constable who was holding the handcuff of his hand. Then he jumped from the bridge to the river below. He fell down on the stones and sustained severe injury on his legs. The escorting police team apprehended him instantly.
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