Tura, June 6: The Chokpot region of Meghalaya’s Garo hills is highly infested by militants. Police say that Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) has three units, which operates from this area, including breakaway faction of A’chik National Volunteer’s council (ANVC – B).
Chokpot is located about 61 km from Tura.
Two separate incidents – one of an overground GNLA death in custody on May 28 and a woman killed by GNLA on June 3 has brought huge attention to Chokpot and its adjoining areas.
The government has claimed that security has been beefed up in the area. A spot visit to this remote location will prove the claims otherwise.
“We have to live in constant fear. We need security”, said Winkle Sangma, 45 of Rongpakgre village in Chokpot. There were 30 others, who have echoed the same feeling, when this correspondent visited several villages in and around Chokpot.
In this sleepy remote hamlet, two buses ply from Tura every day. Most of the village is geographically isolated, landlocked and is sparsely populated. Mobile and electricity connectivity is also very poor.
At Chokpot police station, a senior police officer gives an account of the militancy situation in the region. “In Chokpot GNLA has three units, each comprises of 30-40 cadres and they frequent the area”, he said.
Top militants, who are highly active in the area are – Baichung Momin, Kerio Marak and Hedio Momin.
The crime chart of Chokpot police station shows that till June 3, 2014, there has been a single case each of kidnapping, murder and extortion.
The officer says that there are many unreported cases of extortion.
He goes on to narrate “barbaric” cases of killing, saying “We are willing to divulge details to media, but we should not be quoted”.
In December last year at Rongsa A’we, near Nongalbibra in South Garo Hills, GNLA militant killed a businessman. He is identified as Samson Sangma.
When asked, whether the perpetrators got arrested, he said, “We take up the cases under different criminal laws. Few have been arrested”.
“The militants kill a person and brand him/her as a police informer. Very sad that NGOs don’t raise such issues”, he added.
Pointing out another case of militant brutality, he said, “A youth Jenifer Marak was beaten to death in full public view at Ruga in South Garo Hills recently. It is really a sorry state of affairs. They claim to be fighting for the Garos”.
On the recent death of an overground GNLA worker Witson Sangma at Chokpot police station, he said, “He was helping to burn IED and was actively involved with the outfit. It is unfortunate that he died in lock-up and police is being blamed”.
Witson was arrested on May 27 and died on May 28 (midnight around 1 am). His death had sparked huge protest in the area. Angry mob had torched three police vehicles and two bikes.
He also confirmed that a militant identified as Tengton was responsible for the murder of the woman, who was killed in front of her husband and four children on Tuesday evening. When asked, why they are so sure that it was Tengton, he said, “We have identified based on the accounts of the villagers. He is active in the area”.
The Chokpot area is home to dense jungle, thick vegetation and rough terrain, which provides a safe haven for the militants to hide in the Durama hills. (SP News)
