[ Bengia Ajum ]
NAMSAI, 20 Aug: Three of the four criminals who escaped from the judicial jail in Namsai district have been re-arrested by the police. Arjun Kanda (27) and Robin Surin (45) were arrested on Monday from Piyong Kachari, while Mineswar Dihingia (37) was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday from Boghamur, all within Namsai district.
Gopal Munda (23) is still absconding.
All three did not resist during their re-arrest.
Speaking to this daily, Namsai SP Sangey Thinley reported that Mineswer Dihingia had been hiding in a paddy storage room despite knowing that the police were raiding his house.
“He was made to surrender at gunpoint because he is a hardcore criminal,” said the SP.
Dihingia, a former operative of the NSCN (U), had been arrested in 2021 under Sections 392 and 448 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) from Mahadevpur.
During their escape from the jail, the four criminals got separated. “They entered uninhabited jungle areas and then fled in different directions,” the SP added.
Gopal Munda, who faces charges under Section 376 of the IPC and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act for alleged rape, is still at large. “We are making efforts to locate the remaining escapee,” said the SP.
The four prisoners escaped after breaking the grills of the ventilators in their cell in the early hours of Sunday. During their escape, the lone sentry, identified as Pintu Isna of the IRBn, fought hard to prevent them from fleeing and sustained serious injuries after being assaulted by the criminals.
