JOWAI:
Unidentified individuals suspected to be part of a gang of criminals who escaped from a Jowai jail, were on September 11 lynched by an irate mob at Shangpung.
The gang, which included I Love You Talang, Ramesh Dkhar, Marsanki Tariang, Rikmenlang Lamare, Shidorki Dkhar and Lodestar Tang, had on September 10 fled from the Jowai District Jail after attacking a guard with a knife.
As per the headman of Shangpung, R Rabon, the six after escaping from prison were hiding in a forest in the Shangpung area. They were only discovered after one of the escapees went to a local tea shop to buy food and was identified by some of the people. The entire village came to know about it, and they chased after the prisoners who fled to the nearby forest. The villagers surrounded the area and after capturing them, thrashed the escapees.
From videos that have emerged, the mob could be seen mercilessly hitting the escapees with bamboo sticks till they became lifeless. The headman said four of them died from the beating, while Ramesh Dkhar managed to escape from the jungle.
Earlier, on August 24, 2022, I Love You Talang, Ramesh Dkhar and two others had been arrested for kidnapping and killing two tourist drivers in Jaintia Hills.
Talang had confessed to kidnapping Damehipaia Papeng Khongshnong of West Jaintia Hills District on August 10 and killing him on August 24 before disposing of his body at a place near Cattle Market Mukoi Mihmyntdu, which is about 1 km from Jowai by-pass. Papeng was said to have been a taxi driver who plied between Jowai and Lad Rymbai in Jaintia Hills.
Another driver who was killed by the gang was Fullmoon Kharsahnoh, who hailed from Larnai in Jaintai Hills District. Kharsahnoh, who plied his taxi between Jowai and Shillong, had disappeared on August 16 and his body was found from Mynkre village in East Jaintia Hills District.
Following their arrest, the police started an investigation on how the accused had sold the cars that belonged to their victims.
In the mob lynching incident at Shangpung on Sunday, the identities of those who were lynched have not been revealed.