Ransom demand made
TURA: The police here are yet to make any breakthrough in the kidnapping of four persons by suspected ASAK militants and a criminal gang in South Garo Hills.
However, the police, who are continuing with their search operations in the dense forest of South Garo Hills, have identified the cross-border criminal who is helping ASAK chief Reding T. Sangma in abduction.
Police said the man is closely related to the ASAK chief and had, in the past, abducted villagers for ransom.
The four victims, a bus driver and a passenger and two coal truck drivers, were kidnapped from near Kolapara village of Sibbari by six armed men around 7am on Sunday.
The kidnappers called up the family of one of the drivers and demanded Rs 20 lakh, the police said.
The rebels first kidnapped the driver of the Sibbari-Tura bus, Babu Das, and Nilip Ch Momin of Balsrigittim in Williamnagar and later the truck drivers, who were tailing the bus, were taken hostages. One of the drivers has been identified as Anup Hazrat of Mankachar.
A week ago, three traders from Dalu, who were abducted by the same group,were released after their families jointly paid Rs 25,000 to them. Initially, the demand was Rs 5 lakh for each hostage.
With coal export resuming in Garo Hills following the clearance from the National Green Tribunal last year, Gasuapara coal export point is bustling with activities as coal-laden trucks from different parts of Garo Hills arrive there to export the mineral to neighbouring Bangladesh.
It has also become the prime hunting ground for militants. With the ASAK becoming the dominant group operating in the area following the decline of the GNLA, it is currently calling the shots as far as abductions and ransoms are concerned.
