Guwahati: The Assam Human Rights Commission has directed the chief secretary to constitute a high-level panel for probing deaths of five protesters in police action during protests over the amended Citizenship Act here last week.
In a notice issued by the commission on Tuesday, Chief Secretary Alok Kumar has also been asked to probe the injuries to 27 protestors in baton-charge by the police.
The chief secretary has been asked to submit a report within a month “after enquiring into the incidents to find out the circumstances” leading to the injuries, deaths, arrests and detentions.
The commission cited local media reports that said two boys — Dipanjal Das and Sam Stefford — were killed at Lachit Nagar and Hatigaon, respectively, in police firing and no weapon was found from them.
Two more protesters — Iswar Nayak and Abdul — were injured in alleged police firing at Udalguri and Lalung Gaon, respectively, and later succumbed to injuries at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, the report referred by the commission said.
It also noted that another protester, Dwijendra Panging, succumbed to his injuries on December 14, sustained during baton charge by police.
Till Sunday, Assam Police arrested 175 persons besides picking up 1,406 others in connection with the protest across the state, according to the report quoted by the commission.
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