Two bike lifters arrested in Mangaldai

From our Correspondent

MANGALDAI, December 17:  Darrang Police have been under tremendous criticism for their alleged failure to check the rising cases of bike lifting in and around Mangaldai town in recent times.

However, they arrested two most wanted bike lifters Bipul Sarma alias Bipul Bhattacharyya (40) from a hideout in Balipota and Jay Prakash Deka of Gorubondha both under Mangaldai Sadar Police Station on December 16.

Police recovered many tools suspected to be used in bike lifting from Bipul Sarma and recovered one stolen bike from the possession of Jay Prakash Deka. Police reportedly identified Bipul who earlier was arrested on several occasions as one of the masterminds of the recent bike lifting cases and were on the lookout for him. The number of bike lifting cases in the last one month has gone up to seven as one more bike with registration no AS 13D 7267 owned by one Kon Deka of Bhebarghat was lifted last afternoon. Prior to this on December 4, one motorcycle with registration no AS13 A 9880 was reportedly lifted from the campus of AGVB, Mangaldai branch at Tengabari during bank hours.

Similarly in between November 12 and November 30 at least four more bike lifting cases were reported from various parts of greater Mangaldai including LNB Road, Sankar gar, Upahupara.   These rising cases of bike lifting had left bike owners spending sleepless nights and the role of police came under strong public criticism. However, acting promptly the police successfully arrested both the bike lifters and already launched an operation to trace out more bike lifters.

Significantly, according to the confession of the arrested bike lifter Bipul, one Lambu –a member of the NDFB (ceasefire group) at Udalguri is also involved in the gang of bike lifters.