TURA: A commuter to and fro Baghmara and Tura made a providential escape on Friday evening when he unwittingly came upon a dacoity in progress by suspected armed militants just six kilometres away from Baghmara, the headquarters of South Garo Hills district.
Talking to The Shillong Times, the commuter, a government officer on condition of anonymity said that he was travelling to Baghmara from Tura for personal work when at around 8:30 pm in the evening he encountered a long queue of coal laden trucks blocking the way just six kilometres before reaching Baghmara.
According to him when he got out to enquire about the blockade a pistol wielding man suddenly showed up and intimidated him by pointing the gun at him and yelling that he was from the ANVC B.
The gunman then reportedly ordered him to get down from the car and fired from his small arm which shattered the front windshield damaged the driver-side door panel.
Fortunately for the commuter a team of police travelling to Baghmara from Tura arrived at the nick of time before the armed bandit could do any grievous harm to him. The bandit disappeared into the thick forest leaving the commuter shaken.
The commuter saw only one bandit but reportedly the bandit had two other accomplices who were all brandishing firearms.
An FIR has been lodged regarding the incident and till the filing of this report there has been no breakthrough as to who those bandits were.
It may be noted that this time of the year is the beginning of the peak coal season in South Garo Hills and armed miscreants take advantage of it and waylay hundreds of coal laden trucks demanding money from them.