Itanagar: In a filmy style, a group of unidentified gunmen has on Wednesday opened fire at a petrol depot at Momong village under Chowkham circle in Arunachal Pradesh’s Namsai district, in which a private individual had sustained injuries, after kidnapping an employee of the petrol depot, police sources said on Thursday.
The entire incident was captured in CCTV camera, following which the district police has launched a manhunt to nab the assailants and trace the abductee Dinesh Sharma, cashier of the petrol depot.
According to Namsai SP Dr DW Thungon, the incident happened at 7.20 pm as seen on the CCTV footage when three gunmen with assault rifles entered the petrol pump premises and took away with them cashier Dinesh Sharma.
“In the incident, JCB driver Mithoi Mardi was shot at by the assailants, while they were on their way back after kidnapping the cashier. The injured Mardi was later rushed to CHC Chowkham, from where he was evacuated to Dibrugarh for improved treatment. He underwent a surgery today and is said to be stable,” the SP informed.
Mardi’s helper Ilyas Soren was also assaulted by the assailants by using the gun butt. He, however, did not sustain any grievous injury.
Saying that the assailants might have belonged to some militant group by the way they carried themselves, the SP, however, could not tell for sure which group they belong to. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident so far.
When asked if there had been any ransom call, the SP informed that the kidnappers while taking away the cashier had asked three other employees at the petrol depot to inform their owner to arrange Rs 5-crore ransom.
Namsai Police along with Assam Rifles sealed all exit routes of the district and put up nakas. Jungle areas are also being combed to lookout for them. “However there has been no lead so far,” the SP said.
A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act has been registered at Chowkham police station, sources said.
