NSCN-K militants held in West Jaintia Hills

A Correspondent

Shillong, May 15: Cadres of the NSCN (K) were arrested from Jaintia Hills in a case of extortion on Sunday, police said.

West Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police (SP) Vivek Syiem said that acting on intelligence inputs, the special cell of West Jaintia Hills police busted a group of NSCN-K Finance Cadres operating somewhere in Khliehtyrshi, in which the Deputy Secretary Revenue of NSCN-K Gaising Maringmei alias Ronal (40) was arrested from a rented house at Mookyniang, Khiehtyrshi.

His arrest led to the arrest of two more cadres of the NSCN-K - Khamjang Rongmei (35) and Thuanguangpou Kamei alias Benjamin (40).

From their possession, cash of Rs 2 lakh, multiple SIM cards, mobile phones and other incriminating documents and extortion notes of NSCN-K were recovered.

Syiem said preliminary interrogation of the Deputy Secretary Revenue revealed that the M/S Bharatiya Company Limited, which is undertaking construction work in Manipur, had recently paid Rs 25 lakh of ransom money to him on May 10 in West Jaintia Hills and that 13 lakh of the ransom money was being transported by wife of Deputy Secretary Tanthaoliu Gonmai to Imphal from Shillong on May 13 through night super bus from Shillong to Dimapur.

“The information was shared along with Manipur Police who then intercepted the bus and arrested Tanthaoliu Gonmai in Imphal West District along with the extortion money,” the West Jaintia Hills SP said.

Syiem also told that a team from the district police would be dispatched to Manipur for taking custody of Tanthaoliu Gonmai soon. Further, one more cadre, who is a courier of the banned outfit, Dimchiulungam was arrested with the help of the Shillong Police from Police Bazaar on Sunday.

“The NSCN-K Finance wings appears to be using Jaintia Hills as safe haven to elude the scanner of the security forces and carry on its extortion activity and finance network, which includes procuring of arms and ammunition,” Syiem said.

The Meghalaya police has registered a case vide Jowai police station Case No. 115(5)2018 u/s 121/121A/120B/384 IPC r/w Sec 10/13 UAP Act against the accused persons.

They have been produced in the court of the District Session Judge of West Jaintia Hills and have got an initial police remand of four days.

An investigation team under Jason Mairom, SDPO Amlarem will undertake the investigation and ascertain the depth and extent of the Finance wing of the NSCN-K in the district.