DIMAPUR, MARCH 8 (MExN): Like a scene out of an action movie, one kidnapper was killed in a shootout with the police on March 8. The shootout occurred just across the border in Karbi-Anglong, about two kilometres away from the inter-state Dillai check-post. Two policemen also sustained minor wounds in the shootout.
The slain kidnapper was involved in the abduction of two persons from Arunachal Pradesh, who were reportedly abducted in Dimapur on February 28. A case in this connection is registered at Karsang police station, Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh.
The rescue operation was carried out by a combined team of the Arunachal Pradesh Police and the Special Operations Team of Dimapur police. The hostages were rescued unharmed, while the rescue team also apprehended three persons suspected of complicity in the kidnapping from the site of encounter.
The history of the case can be traced back to February 26 when the hostages proceeded to Dimapur from Karsang in a vehicle along with two passengers, who had hired the vehicle for the trip. The whereabouts of the vehicle is still unknown.
The passengers had purportedly rented the vehicle on the pretext of a business trip to Dimapur. They reached Dimapur the same day and the hostages (the driver and his friend) were reported kidnapped on February 28. For their release, the abductors demanded Rs. 50 lakhs from the owner of the vehicle based in Karsang. One of the rescued hostages is the son of the vehicle owner.
Following negotiation, the ransom was scaled down to Rs. 2.5 lakhs, but on the condition that the exchange took place in Dimapur. The father then proceeded to Dimapur escorted by a team of the Arunachal Pradesh Police. Additional Superintendent of Police, Wati Jamir said that the Dimapur police received a call for assistance from the Arunachal Pradesh Police on March 6.
It was followed with the abductors frequently shifting the location for the hostage exchange. Finally, on March 8, the kidnappers directed the father to bring the ransom to a place near Dillai check-post. Two rescue teams were deployed and the Karbi-Anglong police was also informed. One team comprising of undercover personnel escorted the father while the other followed as backup.
The first team was however greeted by a hail of bullets on the highway about two kilometres from the Dillai check-post. The bullets grazed two SoT personnel. In the retaliatory fire, one of the kidnappers was shot dead while the others escaped. One 7.65 pistol was recovered from the slain kidnapper, whose identify could not be established.
