This has been uncovered with the arrest of five A’chik National Cooperative Army (ANCA) cadres yesterday from the Meghalaya-Assam border.
Meghalaya police, with the help of Assam police, arrested the ANCA members who were brought to Tura police station for interrogation. When they were apprehended, no arms were recovered, but interrogation is on to trace the hidden weapons.
The arrested persons, identified as Amar A. Sangma, 20, Arjan Bey, 18, Dilseng K. Sangma, 18, Hamil B. Marak, 18, and Lakbit K. Marak, 18, were active members of the group, which is being led by one William A. Sangma as the self-styled chairman.
However, William is still at large after he managed to flee from police lock-up in Mendipathar police station under North Garo Hills.
“ANCA has only one ideology, that is to make quick money through extortion and kidnappings, and disappear,” Meghalaya inspector-general of police (operations) G.H.P. Raju said.
Police said Amar A. Sangma alias Amar Thapa, William’s younger brother, is the ANCA “self-styled” deputy commander.
“On the basis of the interrogation of the five arrested members, this gang is responsible for kidnappings from Tura, Tikrikilla, and Phulbari areas of Garo Hills, and Agia area of Assam. They are also responsible for extortion and kidnapping from Tura area in the recent past,” Raju said.
The police official also said the ANCA was formed for raising funds through kidnapping and extortion. The money is also being used for procuring weapons from Dimapur.
Amar Sangma disclosed that without weapons, nobody would pay any group, Raju said. Another arrested cadre, identified as Dilseng K. Sangma, had disclosed that weapons are supplied from Dimapur, but at a high cost due to the risks involved in transportation.
However, a worrying factor is that the ANCA is allegedly employing juveniles to smuggle arms from Dimapur.
“During interrogation, Amar revealed that William had sent two cadres to Dimapur for bringing weapons. He also disclosed that William was using young boys for arms smuggling from Dimapur. Recently William had sent one 14-year-old along with a hardcore ANCA member, Elwart M. Sangma, to Dimapur for weapons,” Raju said.
However, Assam police caught the duo along with the weapons from Guwahati railway station.
“William engages small boys for arms smuggling as it is very easy for these young people to get bail as they are under age. These young people are never sent to jail,” Raju said.
According to Raju, Assam police have confirmed about the arrest of the 14-year-old who is now in a juvenile home. This has confirmed William’s design to engage juveniles for arms smuggling, he added.
Source: The Telegraph
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