From Our Correspondent
MAWKYRWAT, Aug 11: A sixth member of the Bangladeshi international gang suspecting to be involved in attacking, kidnapping and attempting to murder a youth from Rongdangai village under Ranikor Civil Sub-Division, was caught by a mob as several assaulted before being handed over to the police in a critical condition.
Local sources informed that locals of Khonjoy area caught the sixth suspect from one forest under Kaithakona village and beat him black and blue. The residents have been helping the police and the Border Security Force personnel in the joint operation since the incident occurred on August 8.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, South West Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Banraplang Jyrwa said that around 4:30 pm on Monday, they received information that a sixth suspect had been apprehended. A police team rushed to the spot and took him to Maheshkhola Primary Health Centre in South Garo Hills for treatment as he had suffered grievous injuries.
The sixth criminal was identified as Akram, a resident of Jenaghati village in Sherpur district of Bangladesh.
After the attack and kidnap of one youth identified as Balsrang A. Marak from Rongdangai village on August 8 by an armed group of suspected Bangladeshi gang, the police along with the BSF and with the help of the public conducted a massive search and operation of the international criminals in Khonjoy area along the Indo-Bangla international border and on Saturday they arrested four of them including one person who is a Bangladesh Police constable.
One was caught by the people of Khonjoy village in the morning and the other three were arrested by the police in a joint operation from Chibak forest and the fifth suspect was arrested on Sunday morning from the village of Gilagora near Khonjoy.
These criminals were identified as Jangir Alom (25) of Sadar Jamalpur District, Saen Hussain (30) of Narayanganj District, Mefus Rahman (35) of Comilla District, Marufur Rahman (32) of Jamalpur District who is also a Bangladesh police constable and Mubarak Hussain from Sunamganj, Bangladesh.
Jyrwa informed that three of the accused, Jangir Alom, Saen Hussain and Mefus Rahman were remanded in three-day police custody, while the other three were under treatment in different hospitals after suffering grave injuries while they were assaulted by the villagers.
The Bangladeshi cop was admitted to Shillong Civil Hospital, Mubarak Hussain was admitted to the Mawkyrwat Civil Hospital while Akram was admitted at Maheshkhola PHC.
Replying to a query, the SP confirmed that the total number of international criminals involved in the attack is eight.
He also informed that all the arrested suspects had crossed into Indian territory for the first time and after failing to find their way back to Bangladesh, attempted to hide in the thick forest in Khonjoy area.
He suspected that the other two criminals, who are still at large, might have entered India many times.
The SP also informed that the police are still trying to establish the motive of the criminals.
A search operation is still under way to arrest the remaining two miscreants, he added.