Meghalaya: Interstate contract killing, ransom network surfaces after 4 killed

Meghalaya authorities have uncovered a potential cross-state contract-killing and ransom network following a police encounter in the East Garo Hills that resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including a suspect linked to the August 23 murder of businessman Abu Syed in Assam. The incident occurred on Sunday, when a vehicle stopped at a checkpoint near Songsak Reserve was fired upon by its occupants, prompting a brief but intense gunfight that left all four men dead. Preliminary investigations suggest the group may have been engaged in organized criminal activities spanning Assam and Meghalaya. The operation that led to the encounter originated in Assam, where police had been investigating the murder of Abu Syed. Four individuals, Sabul Islam, Nayab Ali, Azad Ali, and Mafidul Islam, were arrested in connection with the crime. Among them, Sabul Islam was identified as the victim's brother, while Nayab Ali worked for Syed. Azad and Mafidul, described as business associates, reportedly arranged for the hiring of a contract killer named Alason Marak to carry out the assassination. According to a Dudhnoi police official, the two business partners had approached Marak with a payment of ₹1.20 lakh for the job, leaving ₹80,000 unpaid. This arrangement has been described as a “supari,” or contract, in local parlance. Marak, who hailed from North Garo Hills, was among the four killed in the Sunday encounter. The others were identified as Sustom Rabha, Kalam Ali, and Bobidul Islam, all from Goalpara. The encounter took place after Meghalaya police received credible intelligence indicating that armed individuals were moving toward Songsak with intentions of abducting officials from the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) for ransom. A joint team comprising members of the anti-terror squad (ATS), East Garo Hills district police, and Songsak police set up a checkpoint along the Dagal-Songsak Road. At approximately 4 a.m., a Bolero bearing registration number AS-01-FD-2889 approached the checkpoint and was signaled to stop. Upon noticing the police presence, the occupants opened fire, prompting a defensive response from the officers. The confrontation lasted only briefly before the vehicle was searched, revealing four seriously injured men. All four were transported to the Songsak Primary Health Centre and later to Williamnagar Civil Hospital, where they were pronounced dead. The Assam police were notified of Marak’s death shortly after the encounter. A Dudhnoi police official stated that the information came from Meghalaya authorities in the early hours of Sunday. The official noted that Marak was identified as the individual responsible for Syed’s murder, confirming his involvement in the August 23 incident. Further inquiries revealed that the shooters had been identified through interrogations of the arrested suspects. The investigation into Syed’s case has pointed to a broader pattern of organized crime, with Islam, Syed’s brother, emerging as the primary conspirator. Meanwhile, the two business associates remain under suspicion for orchestrating the contract killing. In a separate development, law enforcement in Uttar Pradesh successfully neutralized two suspected assassins of singer Ankit Baliyan during a police encounter in Shamli. The two men, identified as Sumit and Mohit, were part of the Gogi gang and were fleeing the scene after Baliyan’s murder. They were apprehended while attempting to return to Sonipat via the industrial area. During the confrontation, both suspects opened fire on the police team, leading to a brief exchange of gunfire. The two were critically injured and later pronounced dead at the hospital. Two police officers sustained injuries during the incident. Authorities confirmed that the deceased were directly linked to Baliyan’s murder, with weapons and other evidence recovered from the site. Investigations have revealed that four individuals were involved in the attack, with Sumit and Mohit now eliminated. Efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining two suspects, Satyam and Aryan, with raids conducted at their suspected hideouts.