Assam police rule out Shillong, Jorabat links in Upper Lampi vehicle fire

Police have ruled out any apparent link between the burning of a vehicle near the Upper Lampi Battalion Border Out Post along the Assam-Meghalaya border and recent incidents reported in Shillong and Jorabat.

Speaking to reporters at Boko Police Station on the evening of August 26, Boko-Chhaygaon Co-District Superintendent of Police Jankishore Gogoi said the preliminary investigation had so far not uncovered any suspicious or objectionable findings.

The vehicle, a private Alto reportedly belonging to Assam Police Havildar Arbinda Roy of the 28th Battalion, was found completely gutted after it caught fire near the battalion camp during the night.

The car had reportedly been parked by the roadside as the poor condition of the approach road made it difficult to take it inside the camp. Police are investigating whether the fire was accidental or deliberately started.

An FIR has been registered at the Lampi Border Police Outpost, while a forensic team from Guwahati has examined the site and collected evidence to determine the cause and manner of the fire.

Gogoi said the circumstances surrounding the incident would become clearer after the investigating officer and forensic experts submit their reports. He said the police expect to have more concrete information within the next seven to 10 days.

Police are also examining the circumstances leading up to the fire, including where and when the vehicle was parked. While the possibility of miscreants being involved is being examined, no suspect or motive has been established so far.

The incident had raised concerns in the sensitive border area amid heightened tensions following recent incidents in Shillong and Jorabat. Police, however, said there was currently no evidence connecting the vehicle fire to those incidents.

The investigation remains underway, with police awaiting the forensic findings before reaching any final conclusion.