Guwahati (PTI): Four people, including a forest guard, were killed in violence at the Assam-Meghalaya border after the police intercepted a truck transporting illegal timber in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said.

The truck was intercepted at the Meghalaya border by an Assam Forest Department team around 3 am, West Karbi Anglong's Superintendent of Police Imdad Ali told PTI.

As the truck tried to flee, the forest guards fired at it and punctured a tyre. The driver, handyman and another person were apprehended, while others managed to escape, he said.

The forest guards informed the Zirikending police station about the incident, and asked for reinforcements, he added.

As police reached, a huge number of people from Meghalaya armed with 'dao' (dagger) and other weapons gathered at the spot around 5 am, the officer said.

As the mob gheraoed the forest guards and the police demanding the immediate release of those arrested, the officers fired at them to bring the situation under control, he said.

"A forest home guard and three persons of the Khasi community were killed in the incident. The situation is under control now," the officer said.

However, it was not immediately clear how the forest guard, identified as Bidyasing Lekhte, was killed.

Ali said top officers of the district were on the way to the remote area.

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Bengaluru, Dec 26: A Japanese national, Hiroshi Sasaki, who works in Bengaluru, lost Rs 35.5 lakh after being 'digitally arrested' by cyber fraudsters, police said, on Thursday.

 

The incident occurred between December 12 and 14, police added.

Sasaki, who lives in a flat near Dairy Circle, received a phone call on December 12. The caller was claiming to be from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The caller informed him that his phone number would be blocked due to its unauthorised use.

To avoid the disconnection Sasaki was asked to dial a number.

Upon dialling the number, he was immediately connected to a WhatsApp call from someone claiming to be from the Cyber Crime wing of Mumbai Police. The caller informed Sasaki that he was involved in a money laundering case.

The fraudsters "digitally arrested" him and siphoned off Rs 35.5 lakh by having him make payments through various means, including RTGS.

He was also told that the money would be returned after the investigation was completed.

After realising that he had been duped, the victim approached the South East Cyber Crimes, Economics and Narcotics (CEN) police station and lodged a complaint.

'Digital arrest' is a new cyber fraud, where the fraudster poses as law enforcement agency officials from agencies like CBI, and customs and threatens people of arrest by making video calls.

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