Two kidnappers killed in encounter in West Garo Hills; minor, taxi driver rescued

WILLIAMNAGAR: Meghalaya Police on Thursday rescued two kidnapped persons, including a minor boy after killing two suspected kidnappers, in an encounter in the West Garo Hills district, the police said.

The police safely rescued a minor boy and a taxi driver Bikas Chetia who had been kidnapped from Goalpara in Assam and Meghalaya's Tikrikilla on November 9 and 4 respectively, West Garo Hills district Superintendent of Police Vivekanand Singh Rathore said.

Police also recovered an AK series rifle, one pistol, and one camouflage bag with 23 rounds of 7.62 mm and 9 rounds of 9-mm ammunition along with other incriminating materials from the encounter spot.

The SP told ANI a total of 33 empty cartridge cases were also found at the encounter site. These include 9 mm 19 and 7.62 mm 14 empty cartridge cases.

"One Bikas Chetia of Guwahati, who is a taxi driver by profession, was allegedly abducted from Meghalaya's Tikrikilla on November 4 and a case was registered at Tikrikilla police station Case No. 24(11) 22 u/s 364A/506 IPC. Subsequently, on November 9, Assam's Goalpara Police informed that one child has also been kidnapped and kept in West Garo Hills. In this regard, a case vides Lakhipur police station Case No. 418/22 u/s 365/387/34 IPC was registered. Accordingly, the investigation was conducted and it was found that both persons have been abducted by the same gang of criminals from Meghalaya as well as Assam. Subsequently, based on findings of the investigation, a counter-insurgency operation was launched on November 9," Vivekanand Singh Rathore said.

The SP further said that the operation team led by SP(T) and consisting of Additional SP(T), SDPO(D), SDPO(R), CI(S), OC Phulbari, and other officers and subordinate ranks spotted the gang members as well as the victims at a place in Dibru Hills Forest Reserve near Bamandanga/Gaptuli.

"However, the armed miscreants also saw the police team. They immediately fired at the police team which also retaliated in self-defence. The exchange of fire continued for approximately 2-3 minutes. Once the exchange of fire stopped, the place of occurrence was cordoned and thoroughly searched during which two unidentified dead bodies were recovered. Both the abducted victims were also rescued," the SP of West Garo Hills district said.

He also said that an AK series rifle and a pistol were also seen lying near the dead bodies. Legal formalities have been completed, he added. (ANI)

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