IMPHAL Feb 8: A police personnel has been implicated as the alleged mastermind of a criminal gang operating at Nambol Area.
The incident came to light when a gangster was apprehended by locals of Malom area ,after he failed to make his escape.
At around 12 .30 am today , a group numbering around eight persons came to the Maruti servicing centre of one Chingtham Bhopen located at Malom Makha Leikai. The group after arriving at the service station demanded the station to open , identifying themselves to be commando personnel and to conduct a search operation at the said workshop ,sources said.
The workers and the owner apprehensive of the circumstances did not open the door. The group after shouting threats started throwing stones at the service station. As the attack became unbearable , the owner Bhopen reluctantly opened the door. At the instant , a gun was pressed to his temple by one among the group and someone attacked him on the head with a stone.As the owner lay injured , the assailants ordered the workers inside to hand over money and mobile phones. Cash along with three mobile handsets were taken away by the gangsters.
Following the incidents, the gangsters tried to make good escape on their two wheeled vehicles , as one of the scooters failed to start , the other gang members made good their escape leaving one member behind.
Taking opportunity , the enraged workshop members along with nearby residents nabbed the culprit. On questioning , the person identified himself as one Naorem Sanjoy ,17, S/o late Loken of Nambol Bazar. He further confessed that they were carrying out various crimes under one Hemam Dong S/o Purnima of Nambol Phoijing Awang Leikai who is a police personnel of Imphal West. The pistol used in the incident also belonged to him. N Sanjoy has been handed over to Nambol PS afterwards.
According to workshop owner Chingtham Bhopen , a similar incident occurred about six months back and the gang had looted more than a lac worth of gold ornaments from his wife and son . The incident also took place at the same workshop. Bhopen stated that they must have been the same gang who robbed him. Bhopen sustained a serious head injury in todays incident and is under medical treatment at present.
