TURA: A joint operation by Assam and Meghalaya Police has led to the arrest of three members of an interstate dacoit gang which had been responsible for terrorizing border villages in the two states.
While one member of the dacoit gang, Anowar Hussain (21) was arrested from Chibinang Bazar on September 3, two others, Akhidur Mondal and Akhirul Islam were arrested in the past one week.
According to police, the three were part of a gang which had been involved in the kidnapping of one, Rafikul Islam, a driver along with his vehicle-ML07-A 3027 on August 22 from Goalpara, Assam. Four unidentified persons on the pretext of hiring the vehicle to ferry them from Dudhnoi to Phulbari in West Garo Hills had abducted the victim and held him captive at Gaptuli reserve Forest for ransom. However, after being tipped off by Assam police, West Garo Hills police launched an intensive operation to rescue the victim and the victim was set free by the dacoits on August 23 without any ransom being paid.
West Garo Hills police on the lead of one of the accused, Anowar Hussain was also able to recover camouflage dresses, 3 country made arms with functioning barrel, trigger and firing pin, from a riverine pond at Bolarbita Village on Friday. Another arrested accused, Akhirul Islam also identified the dresses and the weapons as those that were used by the group to commit dacoity and abduction in the Tikrikilla and Bongaigaon crime incidents.
While Akhidur Mondal hails from Charbatapara under Phulbari PS in west Garo Hills, Akhirul Islam aka Jamai aka Baikho is a resident of Chattapara under Dhubri District of Assam. One of the three accused, Anowar Hussain from Bholarbita under Phulbari PS in West Garo Hills has already been handed over to Assam police.“All three are wanted in various dacoity and abduction cases of both Assam and Meghalaya. We are making all efforts to nab the remaining members of the gang,” the West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police said.