Police to probe jailbreak Cops set sights on arms sale

Police to probe jailbreak

Shillong, June 4 : Meghalaya police will probe the availability of small arms here and the easy entry of firearms into Shillong jail that facilitated the escape of six undertrials and their leader Full Moon Dhar on Sunday. The police said though the gang had used only one countrymade weapon when it broke out of the jail, it later procured more weapons. According to a senior police officer, there will be a thorough probe into easy access to small arms that could lead to a spurt in crime here. The six jail escapees led by Dhar had small arms in their possession. Two countrymade pistols were seized following the killing of Dhar and the arrest of two others. Two more small arms were recovered after the arrest of the rest of the undertrials who escaped. Dhar’s girlfriend, Evatiplang Kharkongor, confessed that she had acted as a courier to send Rs 1 lakh to him to purchase small arms. She got the money from some influential businessmen or politicians, the police said. Later, some warders took the money and purchased arms for Dhar and others. She was arrested on Monday night from Umsawli locality in Mawdiangdiang on the outskirts of the city. According to the inspector-general of police, (law and order), B.L. Buam, while three countrymade revolvers were defective, the one used by Dhar was a new one. The police would investigate smuggling of countrymade weapons inside the jail premises and subsequent procurement of more weapons by the gang, Buam said. “The police department will spare no effort to find out as to how countrymade weapons make their way here and elsewhere in the state so that those who run the racket can be tracked down and punished, ” Buam said. On earlier occasions, Meghalaya police busted many makeshift small arms manufacturing units in Mawsynram on Bangladesh border and elsewhere, including Sohra (Cherrapunjee). Last year, several arrests were made following busting of a makeshift arms factory located at a jungle at Synnie near Mawsynram border in East Khasi Hills. A police officer said a countrymade revolver costs Rs 2,500. These are manufactured by blacksmiths working at remote makeshift arms factories. The finishing of some these revolvers is good though they are not fit for precision target.