GUWAHATI: Guwahati Police on Tuesday, May 12, clarified that the INSAS rifle round recovered from a man at Veterinary Field, Khanapara, ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Council of Ministers was a misfired bullet and did not indicate any security threat.
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The man was detained during security screening after the round was found in his possession at the venue.
Speaking to reporters, Tabu Ram Pegu, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East), Guwahati Commissionerate Police, identified the individual as Pulak Deka, a resident of Satgaon and a driver by profession.
“At the frisking gate today, we recovered a round of an INSAS rifle from a person. We took him to Basistha Police Station. During interrogation, we got to know that his name is Pulak Deka, a resident of Satgaon. He is a driver by profession. He had brought seven women passengers from Japorigog to Veterinary Field, Khanapara,” Pegu said.
According to the police official, one of the women passengers had forgotten her purse inside the vehicle and requested the driver to bring it to the frisking gate at the entrance of the venue.
“One of the women forgot her purse in the vehicle. The woman asked the driver to bring the bag to the frisking gate at the entrance of the venue, where we recovered the live round from his possession,” he added.
Police identified the woman as Latika Barman, a resident of Japorigog, and said she was also questioned at Basistha Police Station as part of the investigation.
“The misfired bullet belonged to a male friend of the woman’s daughter, who works in the paramilitary force,” Pegu said, adding that no security threat or lapse angle had emerged so far. The male friend had given the bullet to the girl to make an amulet.
“We have interrogated her at Basistha Police Station. We haven’t found any security threat or security lapse angle. Further investigation is underway,” he added.