IB officer, merchant's killers arrested in Meghalaya

Three militants involved in the kidnapping and murder of an Intellgence Bureau officer and a cloth merchant last month in Meghalaya's South Garo Hills district were arrested on Tuesday, police said.

"Algrin Ch Marak alias Balgitchak, a senior member of the A'chik Songna An'pachakgipa Kotok (ASAK) militant outfit instrumental in kidnapping and killing of Intelligence Bureau officer Bikash Singh and cloth merchant Kamal Saha has been arrested," said Inspector General of Police (Operations) G.H.P.Raju.

Marak, who was the second in command of ASAK after Reading T. Sangma, the "commander in chief" of the tribal Garo outfit, was nabbed from Mindigre village in South Garo Hills district, bordering Bangladesh, he said.

Raju said two more ASAK militants - Elathman Shira and Dendu M. Marak - have also been arrested for their involvement in killing and burying the bodies of Singh and Saha in a forest area near Bolchugre village.

"They have admitted their role in this crime and also disclosed that they helped Sengbath Shira in digging the grave and burying the bodies," he said.

Raju said operations are still on to arrest Sangma and Shira.

ASAK militants kidnapped Singh and Saha on September 24, when they were travelling in a public vehicle towards Baghmara from Rongara. The two's bodies were recovered a month later.