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Kidnappers of traders used dummy weapons

By Biplab Kr Dey

TURA, Jan 11 - Dummy weapons used by kidnappers to abduct 11 traders fro Dalu in West Garo Hills district yesterday helped eight of them to make an easy escape. Police sources have confirmed that the kidnappers used dummy weapons to stage the kidnapping.

That not even one shot was fired has led to the conjecture that dummy weapons were used enabling eight traders to escape the clutches of the kidnappers so easily. At about 7.15 am yesterday, armed men waylaid a group of traders travelling from Dalu in West Garo Hills to Jadugre village weekly market. While eight of the 11 persons in the truck fled upon seeing the armed men, three were taken by the group. The incident occured near Dumnikura village.

The area where the incident took place is barely two kms from the international border with Bangladesh and has seen various cross-border criminal groups.

The three traders taken hostage have been identified as Tamal Dey (38) and Dulan Mahanta (36), both from Killapara and Durgapada Dutta (35) of Chaipani, all under Dalu PS in West Garo Hills.

It was initially thought that the kidnapping was the handiwork of ASAK militants. However, police today put the kidnapping on cross-border gangs with the support of some local elements from South Garo Hills (SGH) region.

�We have identified some people and arrests are expected soon in the case. The kidnappers used fear as a weapon despite using fake arms,� said SP, SGH, Anand Mishra.

Kidnapping cases in the SGH district had literally disappeared before yesterday�s incident. Almost all GNLA militants, who were operating in the district, have either surrendered or were arrested. The other active group ASAK has been on the run ever since the last kidnapping of 11 traders from Assam were attributed to them.

There was, however, no confirmation if the kidnappers have taken their hostages across the border or whether any contact had been made with the families for ransom till the filing of this report.

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