Army washes hands off Sonitpur firing

Guwahati: The Army on Monday said Sunday’s firing in Sonitpur district, in which an Assam Rifles (AR) jawan allegedly shot dead two men, was not a part of any counter-insurgency operation.
The duo — Gautam Das and Babu Das — was allegedly shot dead by the jawan after they refused to serve him liquor, said Lt. Col. Suneet Newton, PRO (defence). “According to information available, the AR jawan got into a scuffle with the civilians,” he said.
Sonitpur Police have arrested the accused, Karnel Singh Kapoor.
“A woman, Jinu Das, also received injuries and has been admitted in Tezpur civil hospital. Family members told police that Kapoor opened fire when they refused to serve him liquor,” police sources said.
Locals said the jawan was accompanied by other AR personnel who fled after the firing.