Meghalaya police arrest another Bangladeshi over alleged robbery, kidnapping attempt

The Meghalaya police on Sunday arrested another individual in connection with an alleged robbery and kidnapping attempted in the South West Khasi Hills district.

According to district police, Mubarak Hussain was apprehended 24 hours after four other Bangladeshi nationals – including a former police constable – were detained during a joint operation by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and state police in Rangdangai village on Saturday (9 August).

Lieutenant Colonel AKM Zakaria Kabir, commander of the Sunamganj-28 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Battalion, told The Business Standard earlier, "They were arrested about eight kilometres inside India from the border."

The district's Superintendent of Police B Jyrwa told The Hindu that the motive behind their intrusion would be determined during interrogation, following a remand from the court.

The newly arrested suspect is reportedly a member of an armed group of suspected Bangladeshi intruders who attacked a villager.

The others in custody are Jahangir Alam of Jamalpur; Marfur Rahman, a former police constable from the same district; Sayem Hossain of Narayanganj; and Mehfuz Rahman of Cumilla.

They allegedly attempted to attack and abduct a local resident, Balsang A Marak, who sustained serious injuries and was treated at Shillong Civil Hospital.

"The victim was able to free himself while being taken away and ran to a house in New Rongdangai village, locking the door from inside. However, the miscreants chased him, banged on the door from outside, and fired several rounds," Jyrwa told The Hindu.

Zakir Hossain, additional superintendent of police (media) of Sunamganj District Police, confirmed that Marfur Rahman once served as a police constable in Dhaka but was later discharged from service.