The Guwahati City Police on Monday arrested Hira Sarania,a senior leader of the pro-talk faction of ULFA,an advocate and three others in a sensational case of dacoity,abduction and murder that took place in the Assam capital on July 31. Sarania,who was self-styled commander of the ULFAs 709 Battalion,is a close confidant of chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa,who has been engaged in peace talks with the government for the past two years. Sarania was picked up from his residence at village Helsa in Nalbari district by a special team of the Guwahati city police early morning. SSP A P Tiwari said Sarania was involved in a case of dacoity,abduction and murder. According to Tiwari,Sarania and six others had committed a dacoity at the residence of Guwahati businessman Rajan Lohia on July 31,killed one of his servants,and then abducted and killed one Vineet Jain,who too was an employee of Lohia. Sarania was not only involved in these cases,but had actually planned,prepared and executed the dacoity. It is purely a criminal case of dacoity,abduction and killing. We have so far arrested four persons other than Sarania,one of whom happens to be an advocate. Two other persons involved in the case are still absconding, Tiwari said. The SSP also said while Vineet Jain,who worked for Lohia,actually helped Sarania and his gang in carrying out the dacoity at his employers house,he (Jain) was subsequently abducted and murdered by the gang. We are still investigating why they killed Jain, Tiwari said. While the dacoity took place on July 31,Jain was abducted and suspected to have been murdered on August 2. Jains body is yet to be recovered.
