Tura, July 26: Meghalaya police constable Rahul Marak today succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital in Guwahati.
He was critically injured in an IED explosion at Tebronggre, about 18 km from Tura in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills. In the explosion, two other cops were killed – Arphuis Khymdiet, a constable and a driver Lambarthu Suchiang.
The deceased personnel were given guard of honour at Police reserve today and laid to rest.
Two other cops, who had sustained minor injuries, are undergoing treatment at Tura civil hospital.
The police personnel were on a routine patrolling between Rongram bazaar and Tebronggre, when the powerful IED exploded at around 5 pm yesterday.
Police had indicated role of Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) behind the attack. The outfit today denied its involvement and came out to say that they are for peace in Garo hills.
“We strongly refute the charges by the government agencies in the attack of the police gypsy yesterday between Rongram and Tebronggre. We strongly deny any role behind the dastardly attack”, said Savio Marak, top GNLA cadre in a release.
He also stated that it was disgraceful on the part of the police machinery to blame the outfit without any concrete evidence against them. “Why do police and government see our hand for every crime – be it kidnapping, extortion, killing in Garo hills?” he asked.
The top cadre also informed that the outfit has no intention to create trouble in Garo hills. “We have no order from our higher authority to carry out terror activities. Our higher authorities have asked us to stop creating trouble, violence, crime and extortion”.
The outfit said that police is making an effort to derail peace and portray the outfit in a wrong light.
“Top government functionaries are trying to distort the image of GNLA”, he added.(SP News)
