DIMAPUR, Oct 20 � Between October 15 and 19, Dimapur police rounded up a gang who they claim are 10 most wanted vehicle lifters operating in Dimapur, Kohima, Wokha, Senapati and Imphal.
�The arrested accused are involved in several cases of vehicle lifting in the State and also wanted by Meghalaya police and West Bengal police in connection with vehicle theft cases,� Dimapur police said in a press release today.
One of the accused, 31-year-old Rahul Chetri of Nepali Basti in Dimapur, is reported to be a �tatar� (MP) in the GPRN/NSCN outfit. One .32 pistol was recovered from his possession, the police said.
The other accused persons have been identified as Nzanthung Ngullie, Mhonchan Yanthan, Lohru Mao, Lokho Mao, Suresh Pradhan, Showala Kemp, Netra Chetri, Amar Das and Nishan Khan, all residents of Dimapur.
�A joint interrogation of the accused was conducted during which the accused revealed that several vehicles were lifted by the gang from Dimapur, Kohima and Wokha during the last couple of years. The stolen vehicles were mostly taken to Senapati and Imphal and sold off to customers,� the police said.
Some of the accused were earlier arrested on charges of smuggling arms as well as contraband ganja from Manipur. One Bolero, with tampered engine as well as chassis number, was also recovered.
A case has been registered at East PS Dimapur while the accused persons have been forwarded to court and remanded to custody, he added.
In a separate case, police on Friday arrested one person wanted in several burglary cases committed in Dimapur and in Jalukie under Peren district. He was nabbed from Super Market here.
The accused has been identified as 27-year-old James Subba of Chungaja in Karbi Anglong, Assam.