GNLA area commander killed

From Staff Correspondent

Shillong, March 31: The self styled area commander of Garo tiol Liberation Army (GNLA) and an accused in the sensatiol killing of Josbi Marak, a mother of four kids, at Chokpot in June last year was gunned down at a Tuesday morning gun-battle with the police at a forest at Nengkhra village of East Garo Hills district.

He is identified as Kiljan Sangma alias Jangjang, the area commander of the Eastern Zone.

Superintendent of Police (SP) East Garo Hills District, Davies Marak told The Sentinel that Jangjang was killed during the heavy exchange of fire with the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team that swooped on his hideout at around 5.30 a.m.  

Seven to eight GNLA cadres were present when the GNLA area commander was shot dead during the exchange of fire. “The rest, who failed to provide firing cover to its area commander, escaped to the nearby thick forest,” informed the SP.

One AK rifle and a cache of ammunition, some documents and Bangladeshi currency were recovered from the encounter spot, Marak stated adding that Jangjang was earlier the area commander of Chokpot before taking over the Eastern zone in November 2014.

Jangjang also ordered the execution of Josbi Marak, the mother of four, on insubstantial claims that she was a police informer, stated Davies Marak, adding that the deceased is wanted in a number of cases in South and East Garo Hills.   

Meanwhile, the Williamgar police today rescued Ajit Kunda, a businessman from Williamgar Bazaar, who was kidpped at gun point by unkonwn crimils last night.

Ajit was returning home after closing his shop in Williamgar Bazar when he was abducted. Four crimils waylaid and forced Ajit into an Alto car and whisked him away.

Today morning, the crimils demanded Rs 50 lakh from the family for his safe release.

When police got the information that money was being delivered to the kidppers, an ambush was laid at Chisobibra area in the outskirts of Williamgar town. When the crimils came to collect the money, the police fired at them. The kidppers maged to jump into the Simsang river and disappeared. Police continued their search in the nearby areas.

Ajit Kunda was rescued in this operation.