Tura, June 6: The 36 hour operation against Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) ended late last evening.
Meghalaya DGP, Peter J. Haneman told the correspondent, “It was a regular operation against insurgents. It has nothing to do with the incident, which took place at Raja Ronggat, based on our information we had launched the operation there”.
He hoped that the militants will take a long time to regroup and put their acts together. When asked, whether he would term the operation as “unfortunate”, he said, “It is nothing like that, we managed to bust their hideout and recovered bullet proof jackets and other stuffs. Sometimes we achieve results, sometimes we fail”.
At least, 30 top cadres, including its commander-in-chief, Sohan D. Shira managed to escape. Fierce gun battle lasted for several hours near Adugre village, which is located about 25 km from Williamnagar town.
Adugre village is on the Durama Hill range of East Garo Hills. The GNLA hideout was located about 3 km from Adugre village. It is geographically harsh on a hill top with thick vegetation.
Neither militant nor police personnel were injured in the operation.
Police busted the hideout and recovered three bullet proof jackets, incriminating materials, one air gun and food items.
East Garo Hills SP Davies Marak said, “Our team returned late last night. The militants managed to escape under the cover of the thick forest and hilly terrain”.
Inspector General of Police (Operations), GHP Raju said, “The gun battle in the Durama Hills had started at 7:30 am yesterday”.
Militants had laid booby traps for the security forces on the approach to the hideout, which prolonged the operation time.
Initial reports had indicated that the operation was fallout of the Tuesday gruesome killing of a woman by GNLA at Raja Ronggat, near Chokpot in South Garo Hills.(SP News)
