4 accused in murder case granted bail

From A Correspondent

Tura, Sept 4: Four contract killers who had allegedly killed a person in cold blood after taking money were granted bail by the judicial magistrate after the failure of the public prosecutor to object to their bail application.

The four accused – Silseng of Gabil, Salaam of Maudam, Sengran of Atchatchong and Malsin of Aduma, all from North Garo Hills district – were allegedly involved in the murder of one Galling Ch Sangma of Nirangma under Bajengdoba police station. Immediately after the granting of bail to the four accused, the North Garo Hills Police moved for cancellation of the bail and order arrest of the accused as they had not only been allegedly involved in the murder but also had been absconding from the police since the murder.

The four who were granted bail on Thursday were among the five accused murderers who reportedly slit the throat of the victim after staying in his house for almost a month and befriending him. According to police, the five had taken an amount of Rs 1 lakh for the murder on 18th March. 

Two others who were a part of the same plot – Abut R Marak of Bekbekgre and Kabil Sangma of Rongbalgre of North Garo Hills district – are in judicial custody though others have maged to obtain the bail.

According to police sources, when the hearing for the bail applications came up in the court of Magistrate PK Boro, the police were at a meeting, leaving the case in the hands of Public Prosecutor August Marak, who did not oppose bail to the accused.

In an effort to right the wrong, the police on Monday moved for a cancellation of bail to the four accused due to the heinous ture of the crime.

According to sources, the victim was a target of quite a few people who allegedly hired a group of contract killers to elimite him.

“The crimils firstly befriended the victim by staying in his house. On the day of the murder, they came dressed in camouflage and asked the victim to show them the way to the house of the Nokma.  Enroute they slit his throat and left him there,” said a highly placed source.

The news came as a shock to many. “Why are they granting bails to murderers? This is absolutely shocking and will act as a huge encouragement to all the wanbe murderers,” remarked a resident who did not want to be med.

Interestingly the bail order did not even have the mes of the accused leading to confusion within police ranks as who had been granted bail. A surety of Rs 40,000 had been set, meaning the police would have to let them off on production of surety.