GNLA cadre gunned down in East Garo Hills

FROM OUR STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, Jan 18: Meghalaya police pursuit to capture the group of GNLA militants behind the Williamgar IED blast yielded another success on Monday morning as a hardcore cadre of the outfit identified as Chibok Ch Marak who was behind the blast was killed in a gunfire with the police counter insurgency team at Bangongre village in East Garo Hills. However, four to five of his accomplices maged to escape.

Police have recovered one pistol, four live rounds of ammunitions and explosives similar to the one used by the GNLA in detoting the IED in the heart of Wiliamgar market last week. Superintendent of police East Garo Hills Davies Nestell Marak informed during a telephonic interaction with The Sentinel.

The manhunt in the thick jungles of Bandomgre is still on and the recently tasted success in busting of two camps under the GNLA commanders identified as Hedeo in Dorakgre-Dingre forest and Pangkam in Sonsak range.

“The 15-16 GNLA member group under Ajan Momin@ Jimmy has split into three sub groups. One is commanded by Kangsur, the other is by Pangkam and Jimmy himself lead the other group,” a confident SP of East Garo Hills stated, besides adding that all efforts are being made to corner them in the thick and inhospitable terrains of East Garo Hills district.

The police are already under pressure after they failed to avert the IED blast on January 9 despite having intelligence inputs. “But the one week of success except for the brutal killing of an abducted ginger merchant by the fleeing GNLA militants should not be a slur to our point of commitment,” stated another senior police official on condition of anonymity.

The Police are hell bent to neutralize the GNLA which is still has its clout in certain pocket Garo Hills. With 80-90 active armed members still holding sway in these pockets, sources said that the recent review meeting of the security agencies chaired by the State Director General of Police (DGP) has already formulated and partially implemented the plan of action to use an all out apparatus to pressure the militant groups for a surrender.

Recently, the State DGP Rajeev Mehta exclusively told the Sentinel, “We have nothing to do with the government policy but will always live up with the mandate given.” It is learnt that the Williamgar bomb blast that injured nine innocent civilians has prompted the Police to take their own way in combating any one with guns than the pen.