Miscreants take undue advantage of 'uniform'

DIMAPUR, July 8 ? Uniform, the symbol of security and law and order, has once again been held to ransom as was revealed with the arrest of two narcotics smugglers who used it to provide them safe passage with a large quantity of contraband ganja to outside the region. The arrested person in Assam Rifles uniform for smuggling 287.5 kgs ganja neatly packed in small parcels and five trunks at Lahorijan, Karbi Anglong on Thursday evening by Army personnel brought to light involvement of a deserter of security forces in smuggling of the contaband. According to sources, the Army personnel seized the consignment from the accused Bhakta Bahadur Gurung, 43, son of Chandra Bahadur Gurung, presently residing at Kohima D Block and Suresh Chetri, 35, son of Darban Chetri, resident of Naga Hospital area, Kohima. The contraband was seized from the accused Bhakta Gurung, who deserted Maram (Manipur) based 3 Assam Rifles in 1995 and his accomplice Chandra. Both imposters in Assam Rifles uniform, while it was being booked with Lahorijan-based transport agency. The consignment in five trunks in the name of army offices house-hold goods, was to be transported to Kolkata. In one of the trunks, the AIR deserter wrote his name as Major MK Bhakta, Assam Rifles. The smuggler duo also carried a fake movement order from AR, C/O 99 APO. They were also carrying a fake movement permit with the forged signature of ADC, Kohima. Preliminary investigation revealed that the duo were engaged in the business since the past half-a-decade. The accused along with the seized contraband were handed over to Khatkhati outpost Bokajan Police Station.