By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Police on Saturday arrested three persons in connection with the murder of one Coniwell Thabah (36), whose body was recovered from Umlyngka Mawpun Reserve Forest near the city recently.
The three arrested persons are identified as Kynsai Jones KharlukhI (25) of Mawlai Salaikariah, Shanbor Rani (23) of Mawlai Umthlong and Markstar Pariat (24) of Mawlai Nongkwar.
The body of Thabah (36), a resident of Sohiong Mawthwan village, who went missing along with his new car from Mawkhar since July 12, was recovered from the Reserve Forest near the city on July 17, while his car was found abandoned Lummawbah, Upper Shillong on July 15.
According to police, all the three accused are known to the victim.
“They had abducted Thabah for money,” East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police (City) Vivek Syiem said here on Saturday.
Syiem said before killing Thabah, the accused forced him to sign three cheques of Rs 3 lakh, Rs 2.9 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh. “After getting the cheques, the trio took Thabah to the reserve forest and killed him there,” the SP (City) said.
However, the accused failed to withdraw the money as there were no signature at the back of the cheques, Syiem said.
It was also mentioned that Rani was arrested twice earlier for vandalizing a vehicle at Mawlai and assaulting a traffic police on duty at Mawlai Petrol Pump. The three persons will be forwarded to court on Sunday.
Rapists still at large: Meanwhile, three persons, who allegedly raped two minors in East Jaintia Hills, are still at large.
“We are yet to make any arrest in this regard. We are still investigating the case,” a senior police official said here on Saturday.
The perpetrators identified as Kol Bareh, Ashok Bareh and Wohliang Syrti raped the minor girls (13 and 14 years of age respectively) at Jalaphet, Brisumer in East Jaintia Hills last week.