Highway robberies rise on Shillong-Tura road

TURA, February 28: Highway robberies on the rise on the Shillong-Tura route (via Guwahati) with the gangs of anti-social elements adopting a new modus operandi. This new technique was apparently chalked out to foil the security forces strategy of providing escorts to the passengers. The dacoits have capitalised on the lacuna in the police plan which is that escort is provided only from Bono located about 90 minutes drive from the western part of the city. There has been an increase in highway robberies during the last couple of years and reached its peak during the years of 1977 to 2000. However, with the increase in police security given to these buses, the spate of robberies dropped. The robberies were virtually non-existent as the robbers were unable to waylay buses for fear of police reprisal. But now the dacoits first pose as passengers and get off the buses before Boko after committing the crime. On February 12 passengers of a state transport bus coming from Shillong to Tura was robbed on the way by a gang of seven dacoits who had earlier posed as passengers. The dacoits purchased their tickets in Shillong and robbed the passengers at gunpoint on the way. One of the dacoits even drove the bus while the robbery was being committed. They got off shortly before reaching Boko - from where police escort is given. Again, on February 15, passengers of a private night bus while proceeding from Williamnagar to Guwahati, faced a similar experience. The dacoits, numbering five boarded the bus at Williamnagar and committed the crime on the Assam road, before making good their escape.