TURA: West Garo Hills police have on Thursday made a sensational breakthrough into two murder cases perpetrated by an inter-state criminal gang involving former Garo militants who were out to create a law and order problem following the arrest of seven key members of the group.
Among the arrested criminals, two hail from Dakopgre area of Tura while the others belong to different regions of Garo Hills.
The members of the criminal gang were picked up from different areas by a special police team which had begun an investigation shortly after the decomposed body of a local Mahindra pik up driver was recovered from the Dalu-Barengapara road in West Garo Hills on the 7th of June.
The driver was murdered and his body dumped in a forested area while his vehicle was stolen by the gang to commit crime.
Two days after the recovery of the driver’s body, the same gang had abducted a trader from Nazing Bazar in Tura town after luring him from the market on the pretext of providing payment for his goods.
The victim, Ismail Sheikh, hailing from Krishnai town, use to sell cloth material and utensils in the weekly Saturday market at Najing Bazar. He was lured from his store to a locality in the town by the criminals on the pretext of paying for his goods.
His decomposed body was recovered from Allotgre area on the outskirts of Tura town after the arrested criminals led police to the spot on Thursday afternoon.
He was allegedly murdered after the gang failed to receive ransom of five lakh rupees from the victim’s family.
The gang of heterogeneous criminals comprising of former rebels and petty criminals had planned to undertake a series of abductions of traders and businessmen from both the Garo Hills and neighbouring Assam.
According to their confession to police, the modus operandi of the group was to steal vehicles after murdering the driver. The vehicle would then be used for kidnappings and later disposed off in Assam through their contacts in the criminal world. This was planned to be done frequently to avoid detection, police sources inform.
The arrested men confessed that they had planned to procure small arms and project themselves as a rebel group to instill fear and shake off any suspicion about their identity.
Those behind the murder of the driver and trader who have been arrested have been identified as Sengrak Ch Marak alias Vicky (30) and Engal R Marak alias Israel, both hailing from Chinap Asilang in Dakopgre, Tura, Sengrak Marak of Kaldang Songma of Resubelpara, Latdin M Sangma of Rongsimagre Deku in Chokpot, Krainith M Sangma (26) of Rongjol Amonggre in Rongara, Challang M Marak (29) of Rongbakgre in Rongram and Sible M Marak alias Bong Q (35) of Bramagre Sangkmigre of Chokpot region in South Garo Hills.