Tura, Oct 22: Villagers from Gambegre constituency apprehended four men, three hailing from Tura, on suspicion of being cattle lifters on Tuesday night and timely police action saved them from being lynched by an angry mob.
The four accused, Romero Ch Momin of Upper Chandmari, Tengsu D Shira of Alotgre, Niram Ading, Tingku Rishi of Dobasipara, and Tengsrang Ch Sangma of Gambegre village were detained by villagers of Debilongagre and kept in the Nokma’s house late last night.
A mob of several dozen angry villagers soon arrived on the scene and threatened to conduct a kangaroo court prompting police reinforcements to be dispatched from Dobasipara beat house (Tura) and Gambegre outpost.
Police had a trying time convincing the public and only after the crowds were dispersed could the four accused be brought back to Tura police station for investigation.
For years, Garo Hills, particularly the border villages, have been facing the problem of cattle theft with criminals lifting the animals from cowsheds in the dead of night and transporting the animals across the border in nexus with Bangladeshi nationals waiting on the other side of the border fencing.
Gambegre has a long stretch of border with Bangladesh in the Purakhasia region of the constituency and has faced cattle theft earlier. Movement of men and vehicles in the region, in the dead of night, are viewed with suspicion by villagers. Recent cases of murder and seizure of smuggled goods abandoned in the jungles close to the border have only added to the problem.
