Breaking: Armed Men Open Fire, Abduct Three from Stone Quarry Near Cachar-Dima Hasao Border

In a startling incident this morning at Joypur Stone Quarry near Aina Cherra, situated within the jurisdiction of Cachar District Administration and Udharbond Police, a group of armed assailants instigated fear and chaos. At approximately 7:30 am, the tranquility of the quarry was shattered by the reverberation of two gunshots, sending ripples of panic among the working staff.

Eyewitnesses reported that the armed individuals forcibly seized two JCB drivers and a Tipper Truck driver, before proceeding to abduct them at gunpoint, disappearing into the adjacent dense forests. Of the abducted individuals, two hailed from Udharbond, while one was a local resident of Aina Cherra.

While the quarry workers confirmed witnessing the abduction of three individuals, uncertainties loom regarding the disappearance of two others from the scene, raising doubts if they were also abducted or absconded independently.

Though an official First Information Report (FIR) is yet to be filed, the authorities have promptly initiated a search and rescue operation in collaboration with law enforcement agencies. Notably, this incident draws attention to a series of similar targeted attacks on stone quarries by armed miscreants in recent times. Locals have underscored the presence of antisocial elements leveraging extortion tactics within these quarries, resorting to such abductions when their demands remain unmet.

Efforts to obtain comments from Cachar SP Numal Mahatta were unfruitful as repeated attempts to contact him remained unanswered. However, police sources engaged in the investigation have conveyed that senior officials are closely overseeing the developments in the case.

The unsettling events at Joypur Stone Quarry mark yet another instance of lawlessness and targeted violence, prompting intensified vigilance and concerted efforts by law enforcement to ensure the safe return of the abducted individuals and to curb such nefarious activities in the region.