Jewellery trader held for masterminding dacoities

Silchar: In a major breakthrough, police in Cachar district have arrested a jewellery trader from Narsingpur for allegedly masterminding a series of dacoities across the Barak Valley, officials said on Tuesday.

The accused, identified as Shivajit Deb alias Bablu, a resident of Clever House and owner of a jewellery shop, was arrested during a special operation led by Sonai police on Monday evening based on specific intelligence inputs and sustained surveillance.

Police said Deb was the key conspirator behind multiple robbery cases, including the recent dacoity at Salepur near Natun Bazar. With his arrest, the number of persons held in connection with the gang has risen to six.

“Preliminary investigation suggests that he was not only financing the gang but also directing its operations. The group functioned in a highly organised manner, conducting reconnaissance before executing the crimes,” a police officer said.

Police also recovered stolen gold ornaments, two motorcycles, several mobile phones, and sharp weapons suspected to have been used in the dacoities.

Investigators said the gang members often posed as ordinary visitors to gain entry into targeted houses and business establishments before striking.

Earlier, five other accused — Zaidul Islam Barbhuiya (30), Askar Ali alias Kala, Burhan Uddin Choudhury, Idr Ali Laskar, all from Cachar, and Afzal Hussain (34) from Hojai — were arrested in connection with the case.

Police said the gang had been active in different parts of the Barak Valley and adjoining areas for a considerable period, creating panic among residents. The breakthrough came following a tip-off, after which police intensified surveillance and tracking of suspicious movements.

All the arrested people have been produced before a local court and remanded to judicial custody. Police are probing possible links between the gang and other criminal networks operating in the region.

Further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses, officials added.
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