TURA, Oct 16: Mystery surrounds the disappearance of around seven lakh rupees that was part of the original pack of twenty lakh forty thousand rupees, which was stolen by highway dacoits from a truck on Thursday night in remote South Garo Hills. East Garo Hills Police, based on a tip-off by their South Garo Hills counterparts, had intercepted the gang that was fleeing towards Assam late in the night and arrested all six criminals but the seizure revealed only Rs 13,20,500 from the vehicle while an additional Rs 7,19,500 was still unaccounted for.
The mixed criminal gang, comprising tribals and non-tribals, had followed the truck that was carrying the money meant for payment to areca nut plantation owners in the remote Rongara region of South Garo Hills sometime around 7 pm of October 14. They had blocked the road at the Panda Reserve Forest in South Garo Hills.
The owner had dispatched the driver with two other persons to pay farmers in Dambuk, Dilsingre and Rongara for the cash crop.
The first information on the robbery was given to Baghmara Police by the owner who had been informed by his truck driver about the incident wherein the men armed with daggers and a pistol had blocked their path and snatched the money.
A joint coordination by police from the districts of South and East Garo Hills led to setting up of roadblocks and it was at Rongmil in East Garo Hills that the gang was intercepted and arrested. But the money yielded did not match up to the amount claimed by the owner.
Where the remaining Rs 7.19 lakh disappeared is anybody’s guess.
In the meantime, sustained interrogation by police led to the revelation that the driver of the truck was himself in cahoots with the gang and had planned the heist together. He was also taken into custody.
The six arrested men have been identified as Chapdul Ali of Patpara, Dudhnoi, Assam, Oku Ali of Gohaipuri, Matia, Assam, Amir Hussain of Sidhabari, Matia, Assam, Balsrang K Marak of Dobakkol Dainadubi, North Garo Hills, Ewan R Marak of Chisim Apal, P/O: Dainadubi, P/S Mendipathar, North Garo Hills, and Sailen G Momin (20) of Bugakol, P/O: Dainadubi, P/S Mendipathar, North Garo Hills.
The driver of the truck, who orchestrated the entire robbery drama and has now been arrested, is Hasain Ali of Nayapara, P/O: Bohoti, Dudhnoi, Goalpara, Assam.