The Meghalaya Police arrested an accused amongst four armed miscreants who had intercepted victims at gunpoint and looted them on the evening of June 18, 2024, near Beldongpara village, in Assam’s Goalpara, from the Assam-Meghalaya border, near Tikrikilla, West Garo Hills district.
The individual, identified as Sahadev Basumatary, was arrested on July 1 from the Assam-Meghalaya border near Tikrikilla, West Garo Hills following the surrender of another accused, identified as Turti Basumatary, a resident of Assam’s Goalpara, to the North Garo Hills Police. He was accompanied by a semi-automatic pistol containing two live rounds.
The miscreants who were riding on an Aprilia Scooty (AS18J-0181) and a black Bajaj Pulsar 220 (registration no. AS18 E-7925) looted Rs 80,000 in cash, personal documents, and two mobile phones with SIM cards.
It may be mentioned that the villagers of Beldongpara, PO Choto Matia, PS Krishnai, Goalpara, Assam, on June 18 had intercepted and detained the Scooty and Pulsar 220 (black) bike at Beldonpara village, however the rider and pillion managed to escape. Later, the villagers handed over the recovered bike to Mendipathar Thana staff. On June 19, an FIR was received from the victims following which the case was registered at Mendipathar Police Station.
The incident prompted the police to launch an intense search operation led by Deputy SP, Special Ops and his team from North Garo Hills in the suspected hide out in the neighbouring areas of Assam. Another operation was launched by the operation team of North Garo Hills district.
The police, on June 24 arrested one Sunil Boro (33), a resident of Goalpara, Assam from Dhupdhara PS jurisdiction along with the a scooty, bearing registration no. AS181-0181, which was used during the crime.
Search operation to arrest the last accused, Kaltu Rabha, is underway. In a statement, the Meghalaya Police informed that all the accused persons involved in the case are habitual offenders and previously involved in many dacoity cases in Assam and Meghalaya.