NONGPOH: In what could serve as an alarm bell for Ri Bhoi Police to intensify patrolling along the National Highway-40, a truck was stopped by a group of Ak 47 brandishing miscreants at Umling on Monday night demanding money from the vehicle’s occupants.
The incident occurred along the National Highway near Nongkhyllem Reserve when the truck (AS01 CC 3457) was proceeding towards Mawiong from Guwahati.
The driver and the handyman of the truck, however, gave the miscreants a slip and escaped to the nearby forest abandoning the vehicle. Police said that the miscreants, numbering four, also brandished guns at locals walking towards the National Highway.
The local residents of Umling had witnessed the incident and called up the police and other residents for help.
Police responded immediately and reached the spot but the miscreants had fled by then.
According to local residents the miscreants seemed to be from the Garo community and wore civilian dress. The possibility of these armed miscreants belonging to militants groups cannot be ruled out.