Machete attack escalates: Man killed in police firing after machete attack on neighbours; Victim's family had fled from domestic violence days prior

Dibrugarh: A 41-year-old man was killed in police firing at Bordiroi Tea Estate in the Demow area of Sivasagar district on Tuesday night after he attacked his neighbours with a machete and later attempted to assault a police team that arrived to control the situation.Ranjit Pandov, described by police and neighbours as an alcoholic, had a history of creating disturbances in his neighbourhood and allegedly subjecting his family to violence. According to police and statements from family members and neighbours, Pandov would routinely beat his wife and five children — one son and four teenage daughters — with sticks and threaten them with a machete, saying he would kill them.Unable to tolerate the daily violence, Pandov’s wife and children had fled to their maternal uncle’s home two days prior to the incident, fearing for their safety. On Tuesday night at approximately 8.30pm, Pandov began drinking again and became violent, creating a disturbance in the neighbourhood.The situation escalated when his next-door neighbour, Mortin Pandov and his wife Geeta Pandov, came out of their home and requested him to stop the ruckus as their daughter was preparing for her Class 10 board examination. Infuriated by their intervention, Pandov attacked the couple with a machete. Mortin suffered a deep cut in the neck while Geeta was slashed on her leg. Both critically injured victims were initially rushed to Demow Model Hospital before being transferred to Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh for advanced treatment.Even after the brutal attack on his neighbours, Pandov’s violence did not subside. When members of the Village Defence Party (VDP) attempted to intervene and control him, he tried to attack them with the same machete, prompting them to call the police. A team from Demow Police Station, which included female officers, rushed to the scene.For over 40 minutes, police personnel attempted to reason with Pandov and calm him down, but he became increasingly violent and began chasing and attempting to attack the police team with his machete.Demow Co-District Superintendent of Police (CDSP) Hiren Kumar Deka said, “When Ranjit Pandov advanced menacingly with the machete towards police commando Rupam Borpatra of the 4th Commando Battalion, who was part of the police team, Borpatra fired two warning shots. When he kept advancing, the commando fired two shots at his leg, which hit him in his thigh.”Following the shooting, Pandov was transported to Demow Model Hospital in a police vehicle due to the unavailability of an ambulance. He was subsequently shifted to AMCH, again in a police vehicle, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.Police said he died of excessive bleeding.Meanwhile, Mortin Pandov remains in a critical condition in the ICU, battling for his life, while his wife Geeta is reported to be out of danger, police officials said.