One more accused was injured in a police encounter on Thursday when he allegedly tried to attack a constable in Lakhimpur district of Assam.
According to a senior police officer, the person had been arrested on August 22 following a dacoity in a house in Kulabali area under Boginadi police station in Lakhimpur.
"Today we took him to the spot to recreate the crime scene. At that time, he attacked a constable with a blade. Then he tried to flee from there," the officer said.
The law enforcers asked him to stop, but he continued to run, prompting the police to fire at the legs of the accused, the officer said.
"He was immediately taken to Boginadi Model Hospital, from where he was taken to North Lakhimpur Civil Hospital," he added.
With the latest incident, at least 21 suspected militants and criminals have been shot dead and 34 others injured while either trying to snatch service firearms or escape from custody since the Himanta Biswa Sarma government assumed charge in May.
The rising number of police encounters has whipped up a political furore with the opposition alleging that the Assam Police has turned "trigger happy" and is indulging in "open killings" under the second BJP Government in the state.
Unfazed by criticism, Sarma had said in Assam Assembly on July 15 that the state police has "full operational liberty" to fight against criminals within the ambit of law. In the first face-to-face meeting with the officers-in-charge (OCs) of all police stations in the State on July 5, Sarma had said that shooting at criminals "should be the pattern" if they attempt to escape from custody or try to snatch arms from law enforcers.