Morung Express News
November 21
DIMAPUR: In a major development, the Dimapur Police have arrested 8 persons from different parts of the city in connection with the November 15 Ghorapatti dacoity case where one Rafiq was murdered by a group of dacoits in the course of committing robbery. The person who reportedly fired the shots that killed Rafiq is among those under police custody.
Addressing media persons at a press conference at his office here, Dimapur SP Bidhu Shekhar said that the city police had arrested the persons, all non-locals, after carrying out raids in different locations in and around the city like Purana Bazar and Burma camp as well as the areas adjoining the Nagaland Gate towards Assam. Shekhar informing that the arrested have already confessed to the crime said that since it was a serious case involving not only robbery but also murder, the manhunt was taken up on war footing involving days of frequent late-night raids and intensive interrogation of a good number of suspects.
The weapon used in the killing, a 12 bore gun as well as some live cartridges and iron weapons used on the fateful night were recovered. The arrested, non-locals from the Muslim community, are mostly construction workers and day-wage earners. They have been identified as Hokum Ali, Abdul Kalam, Panaap Ali, Kudu Ali, Nurjanal, Babul Hussein, Najmuddin and Nurjalal all city residents around Nagaland gate. SP Shekar also said that Hokum Ali was a professional arms-maker and basing on eyewitness accounts, said that Hokum was the one who shot Rafiq. Furthermore, basing on their confession of the crime the SP said that Rafiq was at first shot on the elbow but realizing that if he lived they would be identified, the dacoits shot him in the chest.
According to the SP an interesting twist that led to the capture was that the Police had earlier rounded up about 49 suspects who pointed out to the police a person (Hokum Ali) who might have been involved in the crime. This led to the arrest of the 8 accused. Further investigations are on.
