SHILLONG, JULY 1: A five-member carjackers who were also responsible for the killing of Swift Desire tourist taxi (ML 05 J 8343) driver Samuel Mawlong whose body was dumped in Lumshnong were arrested by the East Khasi hills district police on Monday. The group’s ringleader Chandra Prakash Sharma alias Mithu who is the mastermind of all the carjacking and murder also fell in the police net along with Prakash Purkayastha, Guatum Tati and Sidhar Thapha.
Following the arrest the police also have issued “advisory” to tourist taxi drivers to be extra vigilant as they have become the soft target of the carkjacker gangs.
The police made the arrest following intelligence inputs received by it in connection with the recent car theft case.
Prior to killing Mawlong and stealing his tourist taxi, , Sanjay Biswa a driver of a tourist Bolero from Shillong, who is part of the gang, was arrested by Silchar police in connection with a car theft case on June 24.
East Khasi hills city SP Vivek Syiem told reporters on Monday that the gang has been involved in several other car theft cases and were the one who steal a tourist Indica after killing the driver on June 25. He said the gang had hired from the Indica from Police Bazar. The body of the driver was later recovered from Sohra.
The gang was also involved in carjacking a tourist Scorpio in December 4, last year. The driver of the Scorpio, however, was lucky as he was rescued by villagers in a district of Assam.
Syiem said the modus-operandi of this gang was to target the tourist taxi drivers and pose as passengers and hire the vehicle. In between the journey they would offer the driver with juice laced with tablet and after intoxicating the driver would strangulate and kill him.
Syiem informed that the stolen vehicles were taken to neighbouring states like Manipur, Silchar and Mizoram where it is sold.
Syiem said Swift Desire was sold for Rs 1.20 lakh and is yet to be traced. Police Rs 25, 000, mobile phones including those belongs to victims and frooti mango juice of 30 ml which they use for the crime from the gang members.
Terming the arrest of the gang as a major breakthrough, Syiem said, “We have alerted all districts police headquarter and even counterpart in Assam on the crime.”
The five accused who are all drug users have been remanded to 10 days police custody.
Issuing an advisory to the tourist taxi drivers Syiem said they have to be extra-careful when people offer them drink or food and must informed their association if they are travelling at night.
Mithu is also wanted by Assam police as all stolen vehicles from Assam would come to Shillong and he would do all the settings right from changing the colour, number plates before sending to market.
Vivek said, “Guwahati police are also likely to seek his (Mithu) custody as a number of vehicles were stolen from the region every month.” – By Our Reporter
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