Tura, Oct 15th: Ram Charan Thakur, about 70 years of age and a resident of New Bhaitbari, was kidnapped by unknown miscreants on the 26th of August while he was returning home from his brick kiln. The saga that occurred after his kidnapped has sent shockwaves amongst the communities living in the plain belt area in Garo Hills as well the whole district itself.
Thakur was a well respected person in his village, with everyone loving the old man. His son broke down while relating the incident as he could not understand why someone would try and kill his father. On the evening of the 26th of August, after leaving his younger son in charge of the family’s brick kiln, the victim went on his daily collection of money from his debtors. He was last seen by his son, but when he did not return home, his family started looking for him. When they could not find him, his worried family feared the worst.
Their fears came true the next day, when the family received a phone call and a message asking them to listen to the demands for his release. An unspecified amount of money was asked from him. The family filed an FIR and got the police involved in the case. The kidnappers kept on asking them for money which was to be delivered at a specific place. They tried to get there but on a whim of being followed, the kidnappers again asked them to change the location for the drop.
The eldest son of Thakur, in tears said, “From their words, it seems they knew the terrain very well and kept directing us here and there. It seemed they knew what was happening since we got out of the house, which shows local involvement. In fact, they asked for only a Hindu person to make the drop. We could not understand why they were setting up demands in such a way that it would show their fear of a particular community or communities”. He however, did not confirm if ransom was paid, but sources said the payment had been made.
Hoping that the kidnappers would now return their father, they contacted the kidnappers once again, but this time again, they began to demand more money. Helpless at the time, the family ran from pillar to post for help, with even the local Muslim community coming out in support of them and demanding the immediate release. Another shock in the case has been the involvement of a woman who called the victim’s family for a ransom. Her identity is yet to be ascertained.
However, on the 26th of September, about a month from the date of kidnap, a body that had been hacked to pieces, without the head was found by the police. The Police contacted the family, but the kidnappers still maintained that Thakur was with them and they still needed to make the payment. In the end, the family identified the victim and wails of sadness rented the air.
Three people have been arrested in connection with the kidnap; with even a GHADC forest Guard being amongst them. The police believe it to be the work of a kidnapping group that has been rampant through the plain belt areas and have termed them extremely dangerous. The new IPS officer in Phulbari, Anand Mishra said they were on the lookout and termed the killing on fear of being discovered, as it was most likely that the kidnappers knew the victim very well and feared discovery if he was released. However, the for the family, the time has been a horror tale.(SP News)
