TURA, Sep 13: Members of All A’chik Youth Federation (AAYF) have accused timber smugglers in North Garo Hills of abducting one of their members and assaulting him on Sunday night.
However, police have given a new angle to the incident and said that the members of the AAYF, who would reportedly extort money on the highway, were assaulted by some locals who wanted to vent their anger over the alleged extortion.
According to the AAYF in its police complaint, three unidentified men barged into its office at Dainadubi and took away one of its member Jeshwell Marak (47) and assaulted him in Damra area of Goalpara.
Interestingly, Jeshwell and the three unidentified men know each other and hail from the same village of Depa Garat in North Garo Hills.
However, according to sources in the North Garo Hills police, members of the AAYF in Dainadubi had allegedly been running an illegal taxation gate, collecting money from commercial vehicles carrying rice, betelnuts and other items.
“It seems the villagers from the area have been angry over the illegal collection of tax on the highway that passes through their area, and vented their anger by retaliating,” said the sources.
