Tura, July 17: Meghalaya police today busted Garo National Liberation
(GNLA) hideout in remote hill terrain near Chokpot in South Garo
Hills.
In the flush out operation at Warima Songmagre, near Chokpot, about 66
km from Tura, a heavy exchange of bullets between the militants and
the security forces lasted for about 25 minutes.
Police say that two GNLA cadres sustained injuries but managed to
escape. The incident took place between 8 am – 9 am. The operation is
still on.
At the hideout, located on a hilltop, covered densely by forest, 15-17
GNLA cadres were camping, including two senior cadres – Jangjang and
Kongsil.
Police say that civilian households posed a hindrance during their
operation as a village was nearby.
Acting on source information, security forces zeroed down their
hideout. As the security forces were approaching, the militants fired.
The security forces retaliated, however, as they reached the spot all
the cadres managed to escape.
Police recovered cache of arms and ammunition, which included 2
pistols, 1 shotgun, 1 chinese grenade, 90 rounds of AKs, several empty
cases and four mobile handsets.
“The police team was spotted by the sentry on duty, who fired first.
They managed to escape taking advantage of the villagers and the
nearby thick jungle”, said an officer, who led the operation.
The police team then raided the hideout and recovered 2 pistols, 1
shotgun, 1 Chinese grenade, 90 rounds of AK ammo, 9 mm ammo, 4 mobile
phones as well as several empty cases.
At least, ten hideout of the outfit were raided in the last two months
after the outfit killed 35-year-old woman, Jospin M. Sangma at Raja
Ronggat, near Chokpot on June 3 in presence of her four minor children
and husband.
Security forces led by Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) and CRPF’s
CoBRA commandos have been regularly conducting flush out operation
across Garo hills. In two separate operations, GNLA
commander-in-chief, Sohan D. Shira has escaped from the hideout. In
another operation at East Garo Hills, outfit’s area commander Ajan
Momin alias Jimmy had managed to escape.
On Tuesday, the security forces had busted a GNLA hideout at
Nongalbibra in South Garo Hills.
On July 3, in a flush out operation against militants in North Garo
Hills district, along Assam – Meghalaya, two security personnel were
hurt, while the GNLA militants managed to escape. Police recovered
huge cache of arms and ammunition, including AKs, live ammunition,
claymore mine, etc.
On July 8, nine ASAK cadres were arrested in a relay of search from
Williamnagar and Rongjeng in East Garo Hills. This was the ‘biggest’
arrests so far in a single day. Also, an unidentified body was found
from a stream near Gambegre, along the South West Garo Hills.(SP News)
