In another brazen act, a member of the AAYF’s Dainadubi unit in North Garo Hills (NGH) was allegedly kidnapped from the pressure group’s office by at least three men before being taken to Damra in Goalpara, Assam, and brutally assaulted.
The act of kidnapping and assault comes in the wake of the seizure of a Maruti car that was carrying illegal timber yesterday.
The incident, according to the FIR filed today by one Jeshwell G Momin, who is also a member of AAYF, took place at about 7 pm yesterday.
“Some miscreants entered our office and, upon seeing Jeshwell there, accused him of informing the Forest Office of the movement of timber that was caught yesterday. They not only accused him of informing the Forest Department but were abusive and would not listen to any explanation,” said president of the AAYF’s Dainadubi unit, Watson Marak.
Jeshwell was allegedly then kidnapped and taken to the Daglapara parking lot on National Highway 62 near Damra where the victim was assaulted by the three miscreants.
These three have been identified by the victim as Dillon D Marak, Rikkim Sangma and Beki Ch Marak (all of Depa Garat).
The assault was so severe that Jeshwell now has hearing issues, deep bruises all over his body and a cut above his eye.
After the attack, the victim was left at Daglapara and managed to summon help from his friends and was taken to Dainadubi for treatment.
The pressure group has for sought a case of attempt to murder, kidnapping, assault, among others, to be lodged against the perpetrators of the crime.
Confirming the receipt of the complaint, the North Garo Hills Superintendent of Police, Abraham T Sangma, said an investigation into the matter has begun.
Dainadubi has become notorious for various cases of timber smuggling with most of the reserve forest under Chimabangshi being denuded due to the extent of smuggling taking place. The huge number of exit routes into neighbouring Assam has only made the situation worse.
