Shillong, July 14: Three tourists from Uttar Pradesh accused of vandalising a homestay and threatening its staff in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district were arrested in West Bengal’s Alipurduar district, while three minors allegedly involved in the incident were also detained, police said on Monday.
The case relates to an alleged incident at Oakwood Homestay in Risa Colony, where the owner lodged an FIR on July 11, accusing a group of guests of threatening employees, damaging property and leaving the premises without paying their bill.
East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem said two cases were registered based on the complaint, following which police launched an investigation with assistance from the police in Assam’s Kokrajhar district, West Bengal’s Alipurduar district and Sapatgram Police.
“With regard to the incident that took place at Oakwood Homestay in Risa Colony, we received a complaint on July 11 alleging that two persons threatened to damage the guest house and left without paying the bill,” Syiem said.
During coordinated search operations, the accused were traced at around 4.45 pm on Monday. The arrested adults were identified as Vikas Singh, Avinash Singh and Akand Pratap Singh. Three 17-year-old boys accompanying them were also detained and produced before the Juvenile Justice Board.
The three adult accused were initially detained by the West Bengal Police before being taken into custody by a Meghalaya Police team. They were later produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Alipurduar.
Police said the offences invoked are punishable with imprisonment of less than seven years, following which the court granted bail to all three adult accused. They have been booked under Sections 351(3), 324(3) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The investigation is continuing.
