47 IEDs seized, one held in Meghalaya

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

& IANS

SHILLONG, Feb 25: Hours after the Meghalaya police launched the third phase of the thunderstorm operations against the proscribed Garo tiol Liberation Army (GNLA), 47 Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) were recovered from the militant infested area of Durama in East Garo Hills on Thursday.

The IEDs were planted by rebels of the outlawed Garo tiol Liberation Army (GNLA) and the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) in Doengkhugre area and in a village in Durama hill range, police said. “Altogether, we seized 40 IEDs and at least 15 Molotov cocktail bombs from two locations and thus averted a major tragedy,” Davies Marak, Superintendent of Police, East Garo Hills,  during a telephonic interaction with The Sentinel.

He said a suspected overground worker of the GNLA, who is believed to have planted IEDs, has been arrested. However, police refused to divulge his identity citing security reasons.

Encounters were on two fronts with the GNLA militants. One was with the group under the deputy commander in chief Rupanta D Shira group and the other was with the group led by Acheng. “Both the groups mage to flee and we recovered IEDs that are meant to target the police”, informed Marak.

The Thunderstorm-3 operation that has just started is expected to further up with fresh deployment of forces. Though the top police official refused to speak on the operatiol aspects, another source said that the IEDs with mala fide intent were recovered close to villages.