Guwahati - In a daring abduction, Dispur Police rescued a man. Eight accused were arrested, which leads to an uncovering of alleged extortion. Police were quick to take action by launching a search operation. The suspects are tracked down at the Tribeni Path. Further investigation has reported the racket to be possibly tied to the organisation Veer Lachit Sena.
The incident happened in the Borbari area, outside of the Pratikshya Hospital, around 9:30 at night. Ershad Khan from Goalpara informed the police that his friend, namely Rahul Mishra, had been forcibly taken away by a group.
The group consisted of around 10 – 15 unidentified individuals. The victims were found trapped in two cars, registered under AS01EM0718 and AS02Q3566. Initially, six suspects were caught. However, in a late-night search, the other two men were nabbed. The abductors reportedly commanded a ransom of Rs 15 - 20 lakh.
A few of the items seized during the operation include two baseball bats, one hockey stick, one double-edged knife, two pepper sprays, six mobile phones, along with an unidentified object was confiscated that is under investigation.
Moreover, five alleged ‘financial assistance’ applications signed by Bikash Asom of Veer Lachit Sena were seized. One receipt book that is believed to be used for collecting money in the name of the group, dual identity cards belonging to Biraj Ballav Kalita, who hails from the alleged organisation, were also found. In addition to these items, an organisational logo of Veer Lachut Sena raised stern suspicion of organised extortion.
Biswajit Doley, Injamul Huque, Rohan Ali, Mohan Borah, Nitu Ahmed, Chinmay Dev, Riyaj Ahmned and Biraj Ballav Kalita were the key eight suspects that have been arrested so far. Legal actions have been initiated under multiple sections of the law that cover kidnapping, extortion, criminal intimidation and unlawful activities.
The incidents highlight a concerning tendency of the criminal entities to disguise themselves as a social organisation. Strong accountability and oversight are necessary to put a halt to such practices.