A police officer was shot twice during an anti-narcotics operation in the Diglang area of Jirighat, Cachar district, Assam, late Tuesday evening near the Manipur border. The injured officer, identified as 55-year-old Havildar Sharif Hossain Kazi, sustained bullet wounds to the abdomen and lower body and was initially treated at Silchar Medical College and Hospital.

Cachar Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjib Saikia confirmed the operation was based on intelligence about drug traffickers moving from Manipur, and that Kazi was airlifted to Guwahati Wednesday morning for advanced medical care. Police said the suspects escaped into dense forest and across the interstate border, evading immediate capture.

A search operation is ongoing, and authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. While a video of the injured officer circulating on social media showed him seeking help from locals, police denied claims by some residents that Kazi was deployed alone and out of uniform, stating that a full team, including personnel in plain clothes, was part of the operation.

The Assam Police have not made any arrests and continue to pursue the suspects. The hospital in Guwahati will provide an updated medical bulletin, while the state police review operational protocols for cross-border anti-drug raids.