Shillong, Feb 16: Achik Peace Volunteers Council (APVC) is a volunteer council in Garo Hills of Meghalaya started with a mission to establish peace in garo hills. Our modus operandi is grass root intelligence, appeal and persuasion.
Our technical team analyzed the crime inflicted upon the society in Garo Hills by the so called militant groups: GNLA, ANVC (B), UALA, LAEF, ATF, ANLCA and many other splinter groups have been committing heinous crimes. In the year 2013, the militants took total 38 lives that includes 7 security personnel and 31 innocent lives. Among the victims of Militancy, there is one Assistant Pastor, 2 women, 2 Nokmas (Nokma is traditional head of clan) and 2 Government Officers.
Total 14 traders and coal laborers were abducted for ransom. There were attacks on Petrol Pumps, MPRO Station, numerous Trucks, Police Station, Forest Range Office, DMR gate, Public Transport Bus, Markets, Private Companies like BSC C&C, etc. They served demand notes from Church Missionaries to Meat Seller and extorted hard earned money from civilians.
In the current year 2014, so far they took total 6 innocent lives and kidnapped 7 innocent civilians. They attacked a District Magistrate, an Addl. District Magistrate, one petrol pump and police.
After a detailed analysis, we have concluded that the militants in the Garo Hills have been doing simple business. It is business with the blood of innocents. Creation of terror in the minds of people is their investment. They kill or abduct a trader or a businessman or a civilian and the entire trading community or business community or the civil society dances to their tune.
So the killing innocent people is their investment, which yields good return with crores of extorted money. They are criminals and should be punished according to the law of the land Instead of punishing these criminals with all the might of our government, some of these criminals have been engaged in peace talks. Why the Government of India has to talk to the criminals? Government of India cannot punish them? In Indian Government surrendering to these criminals? These criminals are not extremists.
They haven’t uttered a signle word about their ideology. Not even a single act of theirs implies their ideology. Their acts clearly imply their business. They are interested in money not separate state or anything. So use your might and punish them. Sovereignty is at the core of our constitution and is it part of the Preamble of the Constitution. A sovereign government punishes the criminals and not talks to them.
The PVC said that, talking to these criminals is unconstitutional and shameful. Whatever is happening in Garo Hills should not happen in a sovereign country. A post master in Songsak informed our volunteer with tears that he had to pay Rs. 50,000.00 to GNLA. This money was his savings from salary. Everyone knows a post master is an honest government servant and doesn’t make money from corruption.
When he received extortion note, he did not even think of approaching police. He only thought of ways to pay. This should not happen in a sovereign country. In a sovereign country people trust police. In East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills Districts, every government officer and business man except DM and Police received extortion notes and paid to these criminal with full loyalty. Not even a single person filed a complaint with police.
This is not a sign of Sovereign country. Sovereign country protects its officers who are delivering services in the remote corner of the country. In Williamnagar during last Christmas season, all wine shops, electric shops and dry fish market closed for a week on the orders of Sohan D Shira, C-n-C of GNLA. He ordered them to close the shops if they cannot pay the demanded amount. And they obeyed. Is this a sovereign country? If you believe India is a sovereign country, you should send force and finish the sufferings of our people.
The APVC in their press statement issued to day to media houses they have compile the list of crimes committed by the militant in Garo Hills which they have submitted to the Union Home Secretary Mr Anil Goswami, IAS Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi-100001.
| DATE | EVENT (CRIME by Militants) |
| 11.02.2014 | Suspected ANVC(B) militants trigger blast in NRL Petrol Pump in the heart of Williamnagar Town |
| 10.02.2014 | Unidentified militants opened fire on Government vehicle carrying Project Director of DRDA and additional district magistrate Asish M Sangma after he refused to heed their signal to stop near Baghmara on Monday morning. |
| 03.02.2014 | In a chilling incident of cold blooded murder, suspected ANVC (B) militants abducted four innocent civilians and took them towards the Nokrek Biospere hills above Sasatgre-Chandigre village and later lined them up and opened fire on Monday afternoon killing three of the captives while one survived with a bullet injury. |
| 03.02.2014 | Unidentified militants opened fire on a group of traders returning from Mellim market on Monday and injured three before looting them of their money and mobile phones. |
| 01.02.2014 | Suspected militants of ANLCA kidnapped small time coal businessman, Bitnath Marak (22) and executed in cold blood. He was taken away at gunpoint from his residence at Nogolwoodland under Mendipather police station on Saturday morning. He was killed with a shot to his head and the body was dumped in a jungle area at Rongbu village near Chibonga, opposite Kharkutta. Villagers informed authorities after noticing the body on Sunday afternoon. |
| 30.01.2014 | The younger brother of Baghmara legislator Samuel M Sangma was kidnapped at gunpoint by suspected GNLA militants from his residence at Gasuapara village of South Garo Hills on Thursday night. As per our information, Rs. 25.00 Lakhs paid to get his release. |
| 24.01.2014 | In an unprecedented act, as many as 30 GNLA cadres carrying sophisticated weapons allegedly threw a challenge at the police asking them to take on the militants while providing the police with their location in West Khasi Hills |
| 23.01.2014 | Suspected militants of ANLCA kidnapped Nokma of Songsak Bonegre village, Kredinath M Sangma (41). He was taken from his house in the village during the late hours of the night. The militants had targeted the Nokma for ransom since he had recently received land compensation to the tune of 78 lakhs for the ongoing National highway-44 E. |
| 17.01.2014 | A group of Garo militants belonging to ANVC (F) opened fire and tried to halt the vehicle of the South Garo Hills District Magistrate, C P Gothmare, IAS 15 kms from Baghmara. |
| 13.01.2014 | A highly decomposed body of a young male has been retrieved by police from the upper region of Balka Wari near Rongkhon, Tura, on Monday afternoon. Bullet ridden body indicate cold blooded murder by unidentified militants. |
| 09.01.2014 | A woman was waylaid on her way home and shot dead by unknown assailants on Thursday last at Bolsong area of Bajengdoba region in north Garo Hills. |
| 07.01.2014 | Two police personnel from Tura sustained bullet injuries when their team was attacked by ANVC-B militants on Tuesday afternoon during a visit to the outfit’s camp at Edenbari, on the outskirts of Tura, to enquire about missing cadres. |
| 01.01.2014 | GNLA military commander Sohan D Shira has ordered the closure of all dry fish markets in Williamnagar town for non-payment of the amount demanded from them. GNLA demanded Rs 3 lakh from each of the dry fish sellers. The dry fish market was closed for 10 days. |
2013 Garo Hills Crime Dairy
| DATE | EVENT (CRIME by Militants) |
| 27.12.13 | GNLA militants abducted and killed AlwinSangma of MegongA’kong village in Kharkutta. |
| 24.12.13 | Three armed rebels of GNLA entered Raja Apal village in North Garo Hills and shot dead a former cadre AldrinMarak. |
| 15.12.13 | GNLA killed two civilians near Gasuapara in South Garo Hills. The deceased identified as – Semion M Marak of Rongsigre and Sengwal D Sangma of Rongbokgre in South Garo Hills. |
| 11.12.13 | GNLA militants attacked the Tisha Auto Agency petrol station in Chasingre on the outskirts of Tura and opened indiscriminate fire from automatic rifles seriously injuring two employees. |
| 11.12.13 | GNLA militants attacked a relay station of the Meghalaya Police Radio Organization located at Darichekgre.While the two police radio operators managed to escape, the militants exploded two bombs inside the relay station destroying the equipment. |
| 11.12.13 | GNLA militants attacked two trucks transporting SWAT commandos in the Nangalbibra region of South Garo Hills District. One Commando was injured. |
| 11.12.13 | Two suspected militants killed an innocent man travelling with his wife was killed in cold blood simply because he failed to give way for their motorcycle in Rongjeng Area in East Garo Hills. |
| 06.12.13 | Newly formed GNLA(F) headed by Reading Sangma kidnapped a coal businessman, Akhtar Ali, who is married to a Garo lady, from Baghmara. |
| 05.12.13 | Suspected GNLA militants raided Samanda Megapgre village, 18 kms from Williamnagar town and took away at gunpoint Dilseng N Sangma (28) and Liping D Sangma (27) on Thursday night. Their bullet riddled bodies were recovered on Saturday morning from Patrang Samanda reserve forest. |
| 06.12.13 | A group of suspected GNLA militants murdered in cold blood a rice mill owner Onerson A Sangma (50) who was dragged out of his home in Oragitok village in West Garo Hills District. |
| 12.11.13 | Suspected GNLA militants attacked a limestone truck belonging to Virgo Cements at Darengre village on the outskirts of Tura. The truck was burnt down. |
| 10.11.13 | GNLA militants abducted a coal exporter JankingMarak from his residence in South Garo Hills region. |
| 11.11.13 | Over a dozen suspected GNLA militants barged into Tebronggre village market near Tikrikilla in West Garo Hills district and forcibly abducted three non-tribal traders at gunpoint on Monday. |
| 05.11.13 | Five including HavildarDondiramMarak, Constables BipulRabha ,MarshanstarNongdhar, UB constable, RakkiChSangma and driver of Fire service LekichyneRyngklem killed by GNLA in a well orchestrated ambush at Kolapara in South Garo Hills. Two AK rifles, one carbine and ammunition taken away. |
| 08.11.13 | Suspected ANVC-B militantsshot dead two BSF constables and snatched away their INSAS rifles at around 10.20 am on Friday near Kaithakona outpost in South West Garo Hills District. |
| 06.11.13 | Suspected GNLA militants on Wednesday abducted a coal merchant identified as Gopal Sharma from Rongjeng area of East Garo Hills. |
| 11.10.13 | Suspected United A’chik Liberation Army (UALA) militants abducted a villager named MilardMarak (30) at Nengbrak village and later shot him dead in cold blood in Nangalbibra region of South Garo Hills on Friday night. |
| 08.10.13 | Suspected GNLA militants triggered IED blast at Chisobibra on Tuesday morning to attacking two police vehicles with armed security personnel that was travelling to Williamnagar town. The security personnel narrowly escaped the IED blast. The vehicles sustained minor damages. |
| 29.09.13 | In a bizarre incident, masked gunmen barged into separate houses and kidnapped three local labourers, JewelinMarak of BollonggreApal village, Green Marak and JimbaMarak of Ronggopgre village from their respective places close to the National Highway connecting Bajengdoba with Tura in North Garo Hills district on Sunday night. |
| 26.09.13 | GNLA militants shot dead NirmalSangma (35) of Awek Village near Shallang in West Khasi Hills District at his residence late Thursday night. |
| 24.09.13 | Just hours ahead of the two-day dawn-to-dusk bandh call given by the banned GNLA outfit in Garo Hills, suspected militants exploded a hand grenade at a stone crusher unit in Selbalgre, 22 kms from Tura, on Tuesday night. |
| 16.09.13 | In a barbaric incident that has sent shock waves across the region, suspected GNLA militants attacked a village in Garobadha region, 32 kms from Tura, shooting dead three persons, including two women, on Monday night. Smt. Sridina A Sangma, Shri. AnirudHajong, Smt. ChandrabalaHajong were killed and one girl identified as Ms. JetikaHajong sustained a bullet injury on her leg. |
| 15.09.13 | A vegetable grocer BishnuSaha (43) was shot at by unidentified militants in Garobadha market, yards from a police outpost, on Sunday evening. |
| 16.09.13 | Heavily armed United A’chik Liberation Army militants attacked the residence of an ANVC-B cadre Dokrakin Kusimkolgre locality of Williamnagar town of East Garo Hills lobbing grenades and opening fire from automatic weapons on Monday night. |
| 05.09.13 | The suspected militants of United A’chik Liberation Army (UALA) headed by one Norrok X Momin lobbed a hand grenade inside Jadigittim market in South Garo Hills on Thursday afternoon. Several dozen people had a providential escape as it failed to explode. |
| 02.09.13 | A Nokma identified as Berung R Marak was abducted and killed in cold blood in Tikrikilla region on Monday night by suspected GNLA militants. |
| 03.09.13 | On Tuesday night, GNLA execution squad killed a GNLA deserter in East Garo Hills. |
| 12.08.13 | A fifty-year-old villager named DonjengChSangma was hacked and killed by a group of suspected militants on Monday night as he was returning home in Cheksagre village, 18 kms in the interior of Anogre under West Garo Hills. His body was found on the village road badly mutilated. |
| 12.08.13 | Suspected Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) militants shot dead a person — Hawart G Momin — at RongcheckAkong, about 12 kilometers from Rongjeng Police station, accusing him to be a police ‘informer’. |
| 09.08.13 | Suspected GNLA rebels shot dead a village elder named Simon ChMarakat in KoksiNensak village in East Garo Hills District. |
| 07.08.13 | Suspected GNLA militants triggered a powerful claymore IED blast at Nengkhra in East Garo Hills narrowly missing police vehicle on Wednesday morning. It was a providential escape for six police personnel travelling in a bullet proof truck. The intensity of the blast was such that it sent boulders crashing down from a hill above onto the road. |
| 25.06.13 | Suspected militants kidnapped a supervisor J Narayan Rai (60) engaged with the railway project in North Garo Hills from near Mendipather on Tuesday afternoon. |
| 16.06.13 | Suspected GNLA attacked WilliamnagrSadar Police Station in a daring act by lobbing a powerful IED (Improvised Explosive Devise) inside the compound. No human causalities. But there was damage to the building and vehicles parked nearby. |
| 12.06.13 | Suspected militants abducted and shot dead Assistant Pastor Previlson G Momin (50) of Ronggopgre Baptist Church, 5 kms from Rari. |
| 24.06.13 | The Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) stooped to a new low with serving a demand note to the tune of Rs one crore five lakh to the St. Claret Mission based at Ampati in South West Garo Hills. |
| 05.06.13 | A Shillong bound Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) bus was torched by suspected armed GNLA cadres in North Garo Hills on Wednesday morning. Mark sheets, books, and other valuable documents of the students were destroyed in the fire as many of them could not carry the bags when they came out hurriedly. |
| 28.05.13 | Suspected militants abducted an Assam-based trader Mohd Ali (50) from Gokol village under Bajengdoba PS in North Garo Hills, when he was preparing to board a vehicle heading to Guwahati. |
| 27.05.13 | Suspected militants abducted a trader Mohibur Ali (40) from Paikan village near Krishnai who was shot dead near Chokpot after his family failed to pay ransom money of Rs 1.5 lakh. |
| 23.05.13 | Suspected GNLA militants on Thursday morning opened fired at the BSC C & C JV Company based at Swangre, West Khasi Hills leading to retaliation from police personal who were guarding the company premises. |
| 20.05.13 | In a shocking incident, suspected UALA militants shot dead five innocent coal labourers in retaliation for the quarry owner’s failure to pay up on time on Monday afternoon in Nangalbibra region of South Garo Hills. The coal quarry operated by one Amitabh Sangma at Darangdura, 10 kms from Nangalbira. |
| 06.05.13 | Suspected GNLA militants kidnapped Dipu Das, a manager of a coal export company oprating from Gasuapara in South Garo Hills on Monday |
