Headman among 4 arrested on extortion charge

JOWAI: West Jaintia Hills Police have arrested four persons including a village headman for their alleged involvement in several extortion cases in Jaintia Hills.
According to sources, the arrested persons had also attempted to blast a hand grenade inside a cement plant in East Jaintia Hills after the company refused to pay the money demanded by them.
Interestingly, the arrested headman of Umsku village under Amlarem Subdivision identified as Rit Lakashiang is a surrendered cadre of the proscribed HNLC.
Police informed that Lakashiang surrendered along with the HNLC founder chairman Julius Dorphang.
The three other arrested persons are Perly Pohlong of Muktapur, Waimin Tongper of Sohkha and Deimon Dhar of Kyndongtuber village. Dhar, who was earlier arrested for his involvement in a murder case, had given police a slip from Shillong Civil hospital. He later surrendered before police.
Sources informed that Dhar along with Tongper were arrested on Tuesday. On being interrogated both revealed the names of four other members of the gang including the headman. Two members of the gang are absconding.
In February this year, the group threw to a hand grenade on the premises of Topcem Cement. However, it did not explode, sources said.