Katlicherra OC Assures Arrests Imminent as Public Anger Mounts
The Hailakandi district police have sealed the bank accounts of Gopi Deb and his two sons in an effort to force the surrender of the accused, who have been on the run since allegedly launching a deadly attack on a local businessman last month.
The case stems from an incident on the night of January 25, when Deb, the owner of GD Wine Shop and former President of the Katlicherra Anchalik Panchayat, allegedly led a group including his two sons to the home of Rinku Choudhury, a hotelier on the Katlicherra Bypass Road. The group is accused of carrying out a life-threatening assault on Choudhury.
Speaking to Samayik Prasanga on Friday, Katlicherra Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ampi Daulagapu stated that investigators are actively pursuing the suspects. “The police are not sitting idle,” OC Daulagapu said, explaining that mobile tracking operations had been conducted but yielded no immediate results as the accused remain in hiding.
The OC confirmed that the police have now moved to seal the bank accounts of Deb and his sons. Daulagapu expressed confidence that this financial squeeze would compel the fugitives to surrender at the police station within a few days. He emphasized that the district administration and local police are treating the matter with high seriousness and that a Case Diary (CD) will be submitted to the court following a proper investigation.
Public Outcry and Legal Maneuvers
Despite these assurances, tension is brewing in Katlicherra. With 20 days having passed since the assault without an arrest, public dissatisfaction with the police response is growing. Plans are reportedly underway to email a formal complaint to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging police inaction and demanding the immediate transfer of specific officers, including one or two Sub-Inspectors, Havildars, and Naiks attached to the station.
In the interim, the accused reportedly attempted to secure anticipatory bail twice through secret applications to the Guwahati High Court. However, the local police opposed these pleas, and the court did not grant relief.
The case has also gained traction on social media. A recording of a mobile phone conversation between Gopi Deb and the victim’s brother, Tinku, which took place prior to the attack, has gone viral. Police sources noted the rarity and shock of such an incident where a father and his sons are involved in a violent attack over business transactions.
OC Daulagapu appealed for patience, asserting that the people of Katlicherra still maintain faith in the police force and that justice will be served.