AR calls allegations against its personnel baseless

M Bijen Singh was apprehended by troops of 22 Assam Rifles on January 15 as he was an active RPF-PLA cadre and had identified himself as a self styled sergeant major of the banned outfit and was handed over to Jiribam police station on the same day following the filing of an FIR, a statement issued by Assam Rifles said today.

The man is currently a member of Jiribam Municipal Council and has accepted that he still has links with PLA and is working for the outfit, the statement said.

Local residents had alleged that Singh was innocent and had been allegedly severely beaten up while in custody of AR, who had picked him up from Jiribam on January 14 for questioning. He was later admitted to the community health center(CHC) at Jiribam.

The AR statement, however, said the man had been admitted to the CHC as he complained of giddiness and not due to any assault or torture by the security forces.

"It is further clarified that the medical case sheet in respect of M Bijen Singh certified by doctors at CHC, clearly state that there are no signs of external injury on the individual.

"Reports of the local people chasing away AR troops and the police firing tear gas shells was factually incorrect and was intended to mislead the people from the actual facts and truth," the statement said.

On January 15 a mob of local residents of Jiribam had stopped AR vehicles, dragged out Singh and chased the security personnel when they went to hand over Singh to the police, who rushed to the spot and burst tear gas shells to control the situation, according to reports.