Gauhati High Court to hear PIL against 'encounter deaths'

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by senior lawyer Arif Jwadder, who claimed that more than 80 police encounters took place in Assam since May, leaving 28 dead and 48 others injured. "All the victims were unarmed and handcuffed at the time of the encounter. Those people who have been killed or injured were not dreaded criminals," Jwadder told the media on Wednesday.

"Above all, this petition raises the issue of violations of the rule of law and equality before law and equal protection of laws. Police personnel do not have a licence to kill, the whole idea of the CrPC is to apprehend criminals and bring them to justice, not to kill them."

The PIL said that such encounter killings deprive the victims of the right to personal liberty and life, which cannot be denied except by "procedure established by law". (IANS)

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