6 culprits identified for embankment breach in Silchar’s Bethukandi, says Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, taking stock of the prevailing flood situation in Silchar’s Bethukandi area, announced that the state government is taking stringent action against the culprits responsible for cutting an embankment at Bethukandi.

CM Sarma said six people have been identified as culprits behind the embankment breaching incident that led to the devastating flood in Silchar town.

On May 24, the Water Resources Department filed a complaint against unidentified miscreants for cutting through the embankment at Bethukandi, about 3 km from the centre of the town, to let rain-accumulated water of a wetland drain into the Barak river. 

Addressing the reporters in Bethukandi, CM Sarma announced that the case has now been registered by the CID in Guwahati. The Additional Director-General of Police of CID will lead the investigation into the case.

A special task force has been initiated by the CID to carry on the investigation process into the embankment breaching incident, added CM Sarma.

Reiterating Assam Government’s stringent stand against the culprits, Sarma added further that not a single culprit involved in the incident will be able to escape the hand of law and will face all possible legal consequences after investigation.

Visiting the flood-affected region of Silchar town for the third time since June 22, the Chief Minister inspected the restoration work of the embankment at Bethukandi and also distributed Rs 4 lakh cheque to each of the kin of 10 people killed in the Silchar flood.

CM has also ordered the district officials to submit a report of damage and loss incurred in the torrential floods that struck Silchar, by July 15. 

Floods and landslides have killed at least 173 people since April. Nearly 30 lakh people, across 24 districts, continue to remain affected by the floods in the state even as reports of landslides continue to pour in from other parts of Northeast states.