From our Correspondent

SIVASAGAR, July 11: In a big achievement, the Sivasagar Police nabbed a dreaded criminal, who was allegedly involved in a number of heinous crimes. Identified as Ananta Khanikar, the notorious car-lifter, who hails from Charing Agnigarh Khanikar Gaon, was apprehended in a joint operation by Sivasagar Police, led by DSP Shantanu Dutta and TSI Amarjyoti Bailung, supported by Dimapur Police from Nagaland on Tuesday.

A number of cases have been pending against Khanikar in several police stations. He was also allegedly involved in the sensational Amguri Congress leader Hemanta Baruah murder case three years ago in Amguri. He was brought to Sivasagar in the night.

“After police interrogation, Khanikar revealed that an amount of Rs 2 lakh was given to him and Bubu Konwar to kill the Amguri Congress leader, who masterminded the whole plan,” said Sivasagar Superintendent of Police Akhilesh Kumar Singh. Khanikar made a sensational revelation that Bubu Konwar and he were hired by late Rajen Hazarika of Amguri to kill Baruah. “He also admitted his involvement in the recent killing of Jorhat trader Kailash Ginoria which rocked the state and a doctor in Teok in 2006,” the SP added.

On Wednesday, Khanikar was produced before a magistrate’s court, which remanded him to police custody for seven days.

It needs mentioning here that the main accused in the murder of Amguri Congress leader Hemanta Baruah, Bubu Konwar was arrested on March 15 from Paltan Bazar in Guwahati. According to police sources, more than fifty cases of crude oil theft, car lifting, kidnapping and murder, have been registered against Bubu Konwar.