Shillong/Goalpara: Amid the lush foliage of a secluded forest in Meghalaya’s East Garo Hills district, three scorched bodies of Assamese men were uncovered and unearthed on Wednesday, as per police accounts. The vehicle they had used to traverse from Assam’s Goalpara district into Meghalaya was similarly discovered incinerated nearby, in Rongmil.

SA Rynjah, the Superintendent of Police in East Garo Hills, disclosed that two of the deceased were already on law enforcement’s radar. One individual faced charges of vehicle theft, while the other had a history of cattle theft accusations. “It came to light that the trio had ventured into Meghalaya in a vehicle on Tuesday. Their singed and partially interred remains were retrieved by local authorities,” a Goalpara police officer shared.

Preliminary investigation suggests a retaliatory attack by opposing gang members may have led to the men’s demise. The bodies were subsequently handed back to their respective kin after requisite formalities, including a post-mortem examination, were completed, Rynjah remarked. In two separate locales, the remains were located by Meghalaya police.

Two of the deceased were found together in one location, while the third lay alone in another vicinity near the site of the burnt vehicle, a Meghalaya police official informed PTI. He elaborated that family members had last communicated with the men when they crossed into Meghalaya on Tuesday morning, and after that, all contact was lost.

Upon receiving a report from anxious family members, authorities initiated a search on Wednesday. Villagers directed East Garo district authorities to the burnt vehicle in the Rongmil region, where police then discovered the bodies.

The departed were identified as Zahidul Islam (25), Jamor Ali (35), and their chauffeur Noor Ahmed, all hailing from Dolguma in Goalpara. A formal complaint has been filed and inquiries are underway.