Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 14, 2010:
A team of Heingang police led by its OC apprehended two persons who were taking along two non-local men in a bid to earn huge ransom amount from Kontha Ahallup today morning.
Addressing a press conference in this connection at Imphal East District Police Headquarters, Porompat here this afternoon, Additional SP (Law and order) L Ibotombi Singh said that after one Jeep (MN-05/5482) was found stationed suspiciously along the inter-village road (IVR) connecting Mantripukhri and Heingang at Kontha Ahallup, OC of Heingang Police Station, A Khelen questioned the occupants and found out that the two non-locals were being held captive.
The two abductors were immediately overpowered and arrested at around 8.10 am.
The police officer identified the two arrested abductors as Thokchom Romen (30) s/o Manijao of Khurai Thangjam Leikai and Takhelmayum Joykumar (30) s/o Lukhoi of the same locality and the two non-local men being held captive by them as Manpreet Singh (28) s/o late Tarjeet of Mantripukhri Bengali Colony and his helper Birendra Thapa (25) s/o Prem.
One plastic toy gun and two mobile handsets were also reportedly recovered from their possession.
Manpreet is a retailer of distilled water at MG Avenue.
The Jeep in which they were being taken also belongs to Manpreet and abductors identified themselves militants and forced Manpreet to drop them till Koirengei so that the two non-local people could be abducted (Manpreet and Birendra) as well as to take over the Jeep.
The police officer further informed that the accused Romen runs a restaurant known as Irish Restaurant at Ghari and he has been selected for recruitment in 7 IRB while accused Joykumar works in a tailoring shop (JK Dresses) at Lamlong.
From the preliminary interrogation, it has been known that around 3/4 months back , both the accused abducted another non-local who works as a barber at Lamphel Super Market and took Rs 3000 from him and the mastermind behind their activities is one Nanao of Achanbigei, who is actually an autorickshaw driver.