3 executed by tribal militants for refusing to pay extortion

Three persons were executed by tribal militants after they refused to pay extortion money, while one escaped with bullet injuries in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district, police said today.
Four persons, including a contractor were kidnapped by militants on Sunday when they went to Sasatgre-Chandigre village to inspect a project for erecting an electric line for the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana, a senior police officer told PTI.
The next day the four were taken by the militants toward the Nokrek Biospere hills above Sasatgre-Chandigre village where they demanded money for releasing them.
When they failed to pay, the militants fired on them killing three of them, while one survived as a bullet just grazed his head, the sources said.

The survivor managed to crawl down the hill and informed villagers on Monday evening who took him to the nearest police outpost at Rongram.
Among the victims was a contractor Rutherford R Marak, a resident of district headquarters in Tura.
Marak had unsuccessfully contested the Autonomous District Council elections five years ago.