TURA: South Garo Hills Police has apprehended the head of a kidnappers’ gang who was behind the recent abduction of a coal baron from Borsora. The abducted coal baron was taken across the International border and kept confined in Bangladesh until ransom was paid by the family.
The wanted criminal, Pradeep D Sangma, was arrested by the South Garo Hills Police during a counter insurgency operation at Gasuapara border on Saturday.
The criminal who happened to have family ties in Gasuapara had arrived in the area to take shelter and escape the police manhunt from South West Khasi Hills after his daring abduction of a prominent coal baron, Dinar Syiemlieh, from the coal region of Borsora.
On Saturday morning, he tried to flee when police raided the house he was taking shelter in, but was ultimately apprehended.
He reportedly confessed to police that he and his gang took Syiemlieh into Bangladesh after crossing the border soon after the abduction towards the end of 2015, and kept him there until the family paid ransom for his release.
Following the abduction local groups in South West Khasi Hills had blamed Garo militant outfits for the incident despite police revealing it to be the handiwork of petty criminals out to make a quick buck.
The banned GNLA was also compelled to come out with a statement distancing itself from the incident.
Rescue attempts by police from South West Khasi Hills, was hampered as the gang had taken their hostage across the international border to prevent police action.
The trail of the gang had gone cold until South Garo Hills Police received a tip off about the presence of the kingpin in the coal exporting zone to Bangladesh at Gasuapara.
