Assam Director General of Police Kuladhar Saikia on Wednesday said that police have arrested the prime accused in mob lynching case, identified as Alphajoz Timung even as he said that the number of arrests for involvement in lynching the two youths as well as spreading hate messages over the incident have gone up to 64.
Saikia said this while addressing a Press conference at the Assam Police headquarters on Wednesday and added that the Timung called up some people in Panjuri village and instigated the mob to intercept a black SUV used by Nilotpal Das and Abhijit Nath and to lynch them.
“The two youth from Guwahati, Nilotpal Das and Abhijit Nath went to the Kangthilangso waterfalls on June 8 evening to enjoy scenic beauty.”However, they had an altercation with Alphajoz Timung over some issue and they decided to return,” Saikia said adding that Timung then called up some people and texted some others saying that the two youth were child lifters and that they were trying to escape with a minor boy.
“The message and phone call incited the mob and they not only intercept the vehicle but pulled them down from the vehicle and lynched them to death,” said the DGP while adding that he is expecting more details from the officers who had been investigating the matter. The Prime accused Timung was also involved in murder of one Mintu Das earlier by instigating mob some time back.
He said that with the arrest of Timung, police have so far arrested 28 persons for their involvement in lynching. Besides these 28 persons, 36 other persons have also been arrested for spreading hate messages and circulating video regarding lynching of the two youths on different social networking sites.
“We have arrested Alphajoz from a village nearby. He had been hiding there since Friday night,” he said adding that search is on to find out and arrest more people involved in the crime.
It may be mentioned here that the gruesome killing of the two youth by a mob at Dokmoka on mere suspicion that they are child-lifters have triggered widespread protests in Assam and different organisations as well as individuals have voluntarily came out on the streets to protest the killing.