Shillong: Meghalaya Police recovered two unidentified bodies and rescued two abducted persons including a child following an exchange of fire yesterday with an armed gang of criminals in Dibru Hills Forest Reserve near Bamandanga/Gaptuli in West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.
As soon as the police operation team spotted the gang of armed miscreants, the latter fired upon the police team which also retaliated in self-defence. The exchange of fire continued for approximately 2-3 minutes, according to the SP, West Garo Hills.
Police also recovered one AK series rifle and one pistol, one camouflage bag with 23 rounds of 7.62 mm and nine rounds of 9 mm ammunition from the site of exchange of fire. Moreover, nineteen empty 9 mm and fourteen empty 7.62 mm cartridges were also recovered.
The operation was launched to rescue two abducted persons. Reference to Tikrikilla PS Case No. 24(11) 22 u/s 364A/506 IPC in which one Bikas Chetia of Guwahati, Assam, who is a taxi driver by profession, was abducted on November 4 last from Tikrikilla.
Goalpara Police from Assam yesterday informed that one child had also been kidnapped and kept in West Garo Hills district. In this regard, a case vide Lakhipur PS Case No. 418/22 u/s 365/387/34 IPC was registered.
Accordingly, investigation was conducted and it was found that both the persons were abducted by same gang of criminals from Meghalaya as well as Assam. Subsequently, based on findings of investigation, a counter-insurgency operation was launched yesterday.
