Williamnagar, Aug 30: A plan by an armed gang to abduct officials of the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) for ransom was foiled early Sunday morning when police intercepted the men at a checkpoint in Songsak, East Garo Hills, leading to an exchange of fire in which all four suspects were killed.
Police said they had received credible intelligence that armed miscreants were moving toward Songsak with the specific intention of kidnapping NHIDCL officials — who oversee highway infrastructure projects in the district — and holding them for ransom. Acting swiftly on the tip-off, a joint team comprising the Anti-Terror Squad, East Garo Hills district police and Songsak police station personnel was deployed overnight to intercept the suspects before the plot could be carried out.
The team set up a checkpoint at Songsak Reserve on the Dagal-Songsak road, and at around 4 a.m. signalled a Bolero bearing registration AS-01-FD-2889 to stop for inspection. Instead of complying, the occupants opened fire on the police party, triggering a brief gun battle in which the police vehicle sustained bullet damage.
Once the firing ceased, officers searched the vehicle and found all four occupants seriously injured. They were rushed to Songsak Primary Health Centre and then referred to Williamnagar Civil Hospital, where they were declared dead on arrival.
The deceased were identified as Allason Marak of Mendima, North Garo Hills — also named as a key accused in a recent firing incident in Damra in which a businessperson was killed — and three residents of Goalpara, Assam: Sustom Rabha, who police said had a history of cases across Assam and Meghalaya involving robbery, abduction, kidnapping and Arms Act violations; Kalam Ali, linked to a Krishnai police station case involving abduction and extortion; and Bobidul Islam.
Two factory-made pistols, one bearing a “Beretta” marking, were recovered from the scene along with live and spent ammunition allegedly used in the attack on the police team.
East Garo Hills Superintendent of Police Pawar Swapnil Vasantrao said the incident, the recovered weapons and other evidence were being examined as part of an ongoing investigation, and appealed to the public not to spread unverified information.
