The BJP government in Assam informed the Gauhati High Court that it had paid a compensation of Rs 30 lakh to five Muslim families whose houses were demolished following a mob attack on a police station in Nagaon district.
The case pertains to the custodial death of a fish trader Safikul Islam, a resident of Salonabari village, who was picked up by the police and demanded Rs 10,000 from him.
He was found dead the following day at the Batadrava police station where he was held in custody, following which, angry villagers set the police station on fire.
During Islam’s funeral, police picked up seven villagers including his wife and his eldest daughter, a minor, for damage to public property. According to Maktoob Media, four of them were charged with the draconian UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act) Act.
While Islam’s family members were in police custody, Islam’s as well as his two brothers’ and two cousins’ houses were demolished.
Salonabari village has a majority population of Bengali Muslims. Anticipating the same fate as Islam’s family members, many left their belongings and fled the village.
When the issue was first brought to the Guwahati High Court in November 2022, it condemned the police act of demolition.
Coming down sharply at the police, the HC compared its actions to a ‘gang war’. On January 3 last year, the state government assured strict action and compensation to the families whose houses were destroyed.
The Gauhati High Court also stated that a government-appointed inquiry had admitted Islam’s death was a case of custodial death. “This is a clear case of vicarious liability of the state,” the court said.
On Wednesday, senior Advocate D Nath, appearing for the Assam government, told the high court that the Nagaon superintendent of police had paid the compensation to the affected families.
Additionally, advocate Nath said that the Hemanta Biswa Sarma government had also paid Islam’s family a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakhs, The Indian Express reported.
