Top ASAK rebels surrender

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG, June 20: The sustained pressure put on the militants by the police under operation Hills Storm forced Netri T Sangma alias Harara, a self-styled area commander of ASAK today before the police at Tura. A civilian member identified as Lucal Arengh of the outfit also surrendered. The duo surrendered before the DIG of Western Range with one carbine, one magazine, four ammunition of 9 MM pistol, one crude bomb, and 63 extortion notes.  Harara, a resident of Samanda in Megapgre of East Garo Hills was the area commander of West Garo Hills and seven cadres of the outfit worked under him. Police sources said two of these seven militants were killed in an encounter, three got arrested and two surrendered. As per the Superintendent of Police (SP) of West Garo Hills, Mukesh Singh, with the surrender of Harara, the district has become ASAK-free. In April this year, Police arrested the East Garo Hills Area Commander of the Garo rebel outfit, David S Sangma alias Rikai. However, the self-styled commander of the outfit, Reading T Sangma and a handful of cadres are on the run, informed another source.  Reading was involved in the killing of central intelligence official on October 24, 2015 at Panda Reserve Forest, Baghmara.