Shillong, Nov 8: Police arrested three members of a gang who used to loot vegetables from trucks.
East Khasi Hills district police said information was received that a gang of people would lure truck drivers and convince their owners to buy vegetables at a lower rate. They would take the driver somewhere near ISBT or Umiam for loading the vegetables. There, they would abduct the driver to an isolated place in the jungle and under duress force the driver to inform the owner that the vegetables have been loaded and to send the money by Google pay to the vegetable suppliers who actually in this case are the abductors.
Police said with the help of members of the Meghalaya Traders Fresh Vegetable & Ginger Association and Khasi Jaintia Fresh Vegetable Suppliers Association, a team of the Special Cell East Khasi Hills conducted an operation on November 6 and immediately took swift action where three people were apprehended at Mawlai By Pass after they had taken the truck driver from Lad Smit and under duress forced him to call his owner to pay the amount. The gang has committed the same offence many times for which FIRs are being asked for and registered, the police added. The special cell is on the hunt for the rest of the gang members who are still at large.
Police seized four mobile phones and one Maruti Swift Dzire from them.
According to the police, their involvement in other criminal activities cannot be ruled out.
A case was registered under Madanrting police station U/S 419/420/511/364A/384/340/34 IPC.
