DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 8 (MExN): The body of an abducted brick-kiln worker, one Shyam Singh was recovered Tuesday, September 7. The corpse was found in a highly decomposed state from the 9th Mile area of Karbi Anglong district towards Diphu, Assam some 15 kilometres away from Dimapur.
Deceased Shyam Singh of ‘Kishan Bricks’ residing in Bamunpukhri ‘A’ had gone missing on February 15 this year. Police said that a complaint was received and registered in this regard. “The abductors had reportedly demanded a ransom of Rs. 10 lakhs for his safe release”, police said.
After the abduction joint raids were conducted by Dimapur and Assam Police in various places of Assam based on intelligence reports. “The abductors were demanding that the ransom should be paid in Assam and during the second week of February, the abductors suddenly stopped contacting the family members”, police said. During that time police were able to arrest one suspect identified as Nating Kachari from Dimapur. Police suspect the involvement of the members of the banned ‘National Democratic Front of Bodoland’ (NDFB) in the kidnapping and the subsequent murder.
It was only on September 6 after a lapse of nearly seven months; Dimapur police received information of the possible whereabouts the dead hostage. Subsequently, a team of Dimapur police led by sub-inspector Jenmai Konyak with assistance from Assam Police raided a village - Longtibok Bora Bosti - in Karbi Anglong in the wee hours of September 7.
The raiding team was able to nab one suspect from the said village believed to have knowledge of the kidnapping. The arrested was identified as one Chotu alias Jatin Basumatary. And based on the statement of Basumatary the corpse of Singh was found buried in a nearby forest.
According to his statement, police said that the victim was killed in the forest sometime in the month of March. He further disclosed the involvement of NDFB cadres. “Police have obtained the names of the involved persons and efforts are underway to arrest them at the earliest”, Dimapur police said.
