Four persons including two BJP leaders in Lakhimpur were arrested by police here last night for their alleged involvement in a truck hijacking and iron rod theft case.
Police officials said the iron rods were stolen by four persons, identified as Niran Boruah, Jitu Sarma, Dipanjal Hazarika and Khased Ali, after hijacking a truck coming from West Bengal to Arunachal Pradesh.
Acting on tip-off Biswanath Police led by DSP (Hq) Muzaffar Hussain, Gohpur SDPO Tilak Das along with Lakhimpur Police intercepted an Scopio bearing registration number AS01BK 2169 at Gobindapur under Laluk police station on Friday afternoon in which Jitu Sarma, a liquour trader from Gohpur was travelling.
Following interrogation of Jitu Sarma police recovered the stolen iron rods from several places of North Lakhimpur town.
Police also arrested Niren Boruah and Deepanjal Hazarika, both ex-AJYCP leaders and Khased Ali.
An eighteen-wheeled trailered truck was carrying 30 tons of iron rods from Durgapur in West Bengal on June 18 last for ECI Engineering and Construction Company engaged in highway construction works at Arunachal Pradesh.
The truck bearing registration number NL01 L 7145 went missing after a halt in a roadside dhaba in Brahmajan in Biswanath district on June 20.
The driver of the truck Maneswar Yadav informed the truck operator about the hijacking of the vehicle by some people by physically overpowering him and tying his hands and feet. The empty truck was found in abandoned condition in Khinpora on Laluk-Bihpuria road on June 23 by Biswanath Police.
Police said the trio—Niren Baruah, Jitu Sarma and Deepanjal Hazarika–hijacked the truck and brought it to Lakhimpur and sold the iron rods in North Lakhimpur after storing at different places.
Both Niran Baruah and Deepanjal Hazarika recently joined the BJP and their involvement in activities like stealing goods gives a dent to the ruling government’s policy of zero tolerance against corruption.
Jitu Sarma has also been in news following recovery of huge amount of illicit liquor in his business premises.