Guwahati: Two dacoits were arrested by Assam police after an exchange of fire in Assam’s Goalpara district on Thursday night. The incident took place in the Tiplai Kahibari area of the district.

As per sources, based on specific information about the dacoit gang movement, district police immediately launched an operation. During the operation, a gun battle happened between police and a gang of four dacoits. Two dacoits managed to flee from the spot post the gunfight.

Meanwhile, police arrested the two robbers, identified as Sanidul Islam, a resident of Krishnai and Baharul Islam alias Mago, a resident of Matia area. However, there was no report of casualty or injury during the exchange of fire.

Last week too, a suspected dacoit was shot by police in Karbi Anglong district’s Thekerajan area. The police team though took the injured dacoit to the Diphu Medical College and Hospital, he was declared brought dead on January 12, officials added.

The next day on January 13, another police encounter was reported in the Golaghat district in which a suspected dacoit was injured when police fired at him as he allegedly tried to escape from custody.

Earlier in July 2022, Police shot dead two dacoits in an encounter in the Cachar district.

In 2022, the Ministry of Home Affairs has informed that among the northeastern states, Assam recorded the highest number of cases registered in respect of custodial deaths and deaths in police encounters from 2020 to March 2022; the state has occupied the third spot in India.

Moreover, the number of crimes against property has drastically come down from 29,113 in 2021 to 14,381 in 2022. Similarly, the dacoity cases reported have also come down to 85 cases in 2022 as against 188 in 2021.