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Incidents and Statements Garo National
Liberation Army (GNLA): 2010-2012
2012
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December 30-31: one ULFA-ATF militant was killed,
in an encounter with BGB, about a fortnight back at Salsati under
Jinaikhati Police Station in Sherpur District of Bangladesh bordering
West Garo hills District. Though the identity of the killed militant
is yet to be established, a bag found on him has been confirmed
to be that of Drishti Rajkhowa. Another ULFA-ATF militant, Gauranga
Koch and an unidentified GNLA militant were arrested in that incident.
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December 29: SFs on arrested three
militants, including a woman, belonging to GNLA from Karaigora area
of South West Khasi Hills District. The arrested trio was identified
as M Sangma (20), Chota N Sangma (30) and Rot N Mena Sangma (20).
SFs recovered a 0.22 mm revolver and six GNLA demand notes from
the trio.
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December 23: The Meghalaya DGP Kulbir
Krishan claimed that militant activities in insurgency-ravaged Garo
Hills have gone down ahead of the Christmas festivities. He also
said that militants, both from the GNLA and ANVC-B, are taking a
break and paying visits to their family members.
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December 21: Cases of children being
used as cadres and shield by the GNLA have come to the notice of
the NCPCP. Further, the Commission has intimated the State Government
about the development. NCPCR has asked the State Government to give
a detailed report on the issue and initiatives being taken to prohibit
the misuse of children as soldiers.
SFs in an encounter, killed a militant
belonging to GNLA, identified as 'Lance Corporal' Bilpak B Marak,
at Suorkona village, under Lakhipur Police Station in Goalpara District.
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December 18: The State Government
appraised Central Government about the arrest of 'foreign secretary'
of the GNLA, Briansim Marak alias Bikdot Nikjang, who is
presently lodged in a Bangladesh jail. The State Government informed
the Centre so that it could up take up the issue with Bangladesh
authorities for his early handover to the BSF.
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December 17: GNLA 'chairman', Champion
R Sangma moved a bail petition before the Shillong Bench of Gauhati
High Court.
State Police will seek the help
of BSF to get the custody of GNLA 'foreign secretary' Briansim Marak
alias Bikdot Nikjang, who was arrested in Bangladesh.
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December 16: Police arrested GNLA
'area commander' of Ranikor, Pollop Sangma and another cadre Lakshmon
Sangma, both hailing from Upper Puksora, following a raid.
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December 15: GNLA, the outfit's
'foreign secretary' was arrested by Bangladesh Security Forces from
Madhupur area of Bangladesh and was forwarded to a jail there. According
to an Intelligence official, the GNLA leader identified as Briansim
Marak alias Bikdot Nikjang was arrested by the Bangladesh Police
based on the inputs from Meghalaya Police. Nikjang had earlier acted
as both political and publicity secretary of the GNLA.
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December 14: One trader, identified
as Anwar Hussain (27) of Hatisila in East Garo Hills, was abducted
in the morning of December 14 from near Rongsai in East Khasi Hills
by four suspected GNLA militants. According to the Police, an operation
has already been launched to trace the abducted businessman.
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December 12: The ANVC 'chairman'
Rimpu Marak said that Tura bazaar grenade incident of December 11
was a 'well planned drama'. "Tura police is trying to create fear
psychosis to disturb the festive mood of the people as it was a
diffused grenade which was planted by a 'bihari' to attract attention
and instigate public against ANVC-B and GNLA," he said.
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December 11: A high explosive hand
grenade was recovered from the heart of Tura main market. Speculation
is rife that the attempt to create mayhem was undertaken either
by the GNLA or the ANVC-B though both the outfits denied involvement
in the incident. The grenade, HE 35 explosive, was later diffused
safely. No one has been arrested in this connection.
ANVC-B has asked the legislators
to raise issues concerning Garo Hills in the ongoing Assembly winter
session. "We are hoping against hope that some of our leaders would
raise issues concerning Garo Hills in this session and bring home
the greatest Christmas gift that we have always aspired for which
will ensure lasting peace in Garo Hills," ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu
Marak said in a statement.
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December 10: Suspected GNLA militants
gave Police a slip before the latter conducted a raid at Dholo Katra
Duwa, 5 kilometres from Dangar near Sohiong on December 10. However,
Sudhir Ch Marak, father of one of the militants who gave assistance
to the militants was arrested by Police.
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December 5: A coal labourer was
shot dead by suspected GNLA cadres in the night in South West Khasi
Hills District, Police said. According to Police, the labourer identified
as Sunil Sangma, hailing from Assam, was shot dead by a group of
GNLA militants at his tent at Rajaju. The militants accused him
of helping the Police.
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December 3: An unidentified person
sustained bullet injury following an encounter between Police personals
and GNLA militants at Mawhar stone quarry in Nonghyllam of South
West Khasi Hills District. Police recovered a country made .22 pistol,
blank demand notes of GNLA, one detonator, two empty case of AK-47
and one camouflage dress from the encounter site.
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December 1: Suspected GNLA militants
lobbed a grenade at the private residence of the Community and Rural
Development Minister, Saleng Sangma at Ringregitam, at Tura in West
Garo Hills,. The Minister was not present at his residence at the
time of attack. Police said no one was injured in the incident,
though the window pane of the house was destroyed. The family of
his brother is at present residing there.
SFs arrested June P Sangma, a GNLA
militant working under Hadeo Ch. Momin, GNLA "area commander" of
Kherapara-Dalu area, in this connection. June P Sangma confessed
his involvement in the crime.
Two militants, suspected to be cadres
of the ULFA and GNLA, were killed in an encounter with the army
and Police at Maladhara under Lakhipur Police Station of Goalpara
District. The slain duos have been identified as GNLA 'corporal'
Nazrana K. Marak and ULFA 'lance corporal' Sumanto Roy.
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November 30: ANVC faction, currently
under ceasefire, has invited GNLA' commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira
and ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu. N Marak to join its fold for peace
talks to ensure lasting peace in Garo Hills region. While appreciating
the statement of Meghalaya Chief Minister (CM), Dr Mukul Sangma
that the State Government is preparing a draft agreement with the
ANVC, its publicity secretary Arist Sangma said that all the militant
outfits of the state should join the peace process.
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November 25: SFs arrested three
GNLA militants including 'area commander' of GNLA Haiderson Sangma
in Assam-Meghalaya border in Murgidara of South West Khasi Hills
District. Sangma is alleged to have involved in transhipment of
arms and ammunition to GNLA from Nagaland. The other two militants
arrested from south West Khasi Hills were identified as Aket N Marak
(18) and George D Shira (25). Demand notes, a mobile phone handset
and three SIM cards were also seized from their possession, police
said.
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November 20: SF arrested a GNLA
linkman, Pasan Marak, while he was trying to buy over a dozen activated
SIM cards from a dealer in Ringrey market in Tura.
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November 19: GNLA militants abducted
the manager of a coal export firm, identified as, Ratan Das, at
Gasuapara in South Garo Hills District. GNLA carried out the abduction
reportedly for ransom after the company failed to comply with the
demands of the militant group.
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November 16: ANVC has denied any
involvement or nexus with GNLA and said that the arrest of one of
its member by Police could be nothing more than an isolated case.
ANVC is currently under a ceasefire with the State and Central Governments.
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November 15: SFs killed a GNLA
militant in an encounter State's border with Meghalaya in Bamuni
Panikhowa village under Krishnai Police Station of Goalpara District.
SFs recovered a 7.65 mm pistol, three live ammunitions, two extortion
demand drafts and two empty cartridges from the encounter site.
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November 14: A joint team of Assam
and Meghalaya Police intercepted a TATA pick-up van at Khetri on
the National highway NH-37, recovered arms and ammunition meant
for GNLA. The recovery included ten magazines of AK-47 assault rifles,
one magazine of carbine, two AK 47 rifles, one shot gun, six pistols
of various calibers including .9 mm, 7.65 mm, .22 etc, 254 rounds
of assorted ammunition, one grenade, one wireless set. Inspector
General of Police (IG-Law and Order), L R Bishnoi said five persons
were arrested during the operation while two more persons were arrested
in the connection by Nagaland Police in Dimapur. Two of the arrested
were cadres of the GNLA. There was, however, no senior leader of
the outfit among the arrested.
Latest police finding states that
GNLA and ANVC-B high command has lost their influence on local leaders
and cadres. State Police's latest analytical findings revealed that
many local leaders and cadres of the GNLA and ANVC-B do not function
under any direct command, instead use their own discretion to extort
money and torment the civilian population in the five Districts
of Garo hills region.
South Garo Hills Police arrested
a militant belonging to the ANVC for being part of the GNLA group,
which planted as many as three powerful IEDs on the Kherapara route
on November 2 to target security forces.
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November 13: Suspected GNLA militants
abducted a cloth trader, Ranjit Prasad, from Raksamgre village market
under Dadenggre sub-division of West Garo Hills District.
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November 10: Police shot dead a
GNLA cadre and arrested another, following an encounter at Dolonggre
in West Garo Hills District. According to Police, the GNLA cadre
identified as Watre Sangma was killed and another cadre, British
Sangma, was arrested after a gun battle at the village at around
12.30 pm.
A powerful landmine planted by
GNLA militants outside the gate of Williamnagar SP, J F K Marak's
residence in East Garo Hills District with an intention to take
his life has been safely detonated by a bomb squad of the Indian
army.
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November 9: Suspected GNLA militants
opened indiscriminate fire at the parental home of East Garo Hills
District SP, JFK Marak in Nokil A'we locality of Williamnagar town.
Later GNLA militants placed a powerful landmine on the side of the
main gate, which was detected by Security Forces.
The BSF has submitted the names
and locations of the North East militant campus to Bangladesh during
the border-coordinated meeting between the BSF and BGB held at Sylhet
from November 5 to 8. BSF PRO, Ravi Gandhi, said, "We have given
them all the details and they have assured us of taking action against
the insurgents."BSF also raised the issues including the presence
of insurgent groups like GNLA, HNLC, NDFB and NLFT in Bangladeshi
territory & efforts to prevent smuggling of FICN.
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November 5: SFs during a search
operation, recovered more than INR 2.2 million along with explosive
material from the house of GNLA 'commander-in-chief', Sohan D. Shira
at Chachatgre village in East Garo hills District. SFs further recovered
25 electric detonators for use in IED explosions, 8 wireless sets
with chargers, 2 Sony handy cams, 3 solar plates, 4 solar LED home
lights, 13 solar lamps, 3 mobile phones, 16 SIM cards and 2 pencil
battery chargers.
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October 29: SFs on a combing operation
in Dadenggre region of West Garo Hills District, had an encounter
with GNLA militants on morning while a trader abducted by the militants
over 12 days ago was released unharmed. The exchange of fire happened
when Police teams, on the lookout for GNLA militants operating in
Dadenggre region were fired upon near Rom Bazar, not far from Selsella.
No casualties were reported.
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October 28: BSF deployed in Chandaboi,
West Garo Hills arrested one GNLA linkman, identified as Dansalrang
Brahnoa, a resident of Goalpara District of Assam. The BSF personnel
recovered a GNLA demand note from his possession.
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October 26: District Session Judge
has upheld the plea for framing of charges against GNLA 'chairman'
Champion R Sangma, clearing the way for his trial from November.
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October 25: SFs killed two GNLA
militants in the outfit's transit camp in Watregitim Nongal in South
Garo Hills District. The GNLA militants were identified as Rengchang
Marak and Subarthapa Marak. SFs recovered one AK-47 rifles, two
pistols, a grenade and ammunition from the site.
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October 22: SFs have launched operations
in Garo Hills region to rescue five people, including three road
engineers of a Hyderabad-based road construction company, who were
abducted by militants of the GNLA, an official said here.
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October 21: SFs have launched an
operation in western Meghalaya to rescue five people, including
three road engineers of a Hyderabad-based road construction company
abducted by GNLA. The engineers were abducted on October 20 while
two ginger traders were abducted on October 19.
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October 20: Suspected GNLA militants
abducted three engineers, identified as Manoj Kumar, Depak Kumar
and A K Sharma, working for a Hyderabad-based road construction
firm while they were travelling to Goalpara District in Assam through
the Rongjeng reserve forest in East Garo Hills District. An operation
has been launched in the area to secure the release of the engineers,
Meghalaya DGP N Ramachandran said.
Intelligence officials said the
GNLA abducted the engineers with a motive to extort money from the
company. "Yes , we have received some reports earlier on GNLA serving
extortion notices to the company and following that we have provided
the company officials with ten Police personnel to guard them,"
the Police Official said.
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October 19: A group of suspected
GNLA militants, led by its area commander Savio Marak, abducted
four traders from Damal Asim market in Dadenggre in West Garo Hills
District.
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October 17: Suspected GNLA militants
shot at and injured a school teacher, identified as Motjeng Sangma,
and later abducted a businessman from Bajamara area of Selsella
in West Garo Hills District.
The militants under command of GNLA's
new 'area commander' Savio Marak first abducted the schoolteacher,
then shot him, and injured before releasing him. After attacking
the teacher, the militants went to the house of one Kali Das, a
coal trader from Bajamara area. They took him forcefully from his
house into the jungles of Selsella. He is yet to be traced.
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October 15: Police arrested a data
entry operator identified as Richard Marak working in a School office
in Dadenggre along with his accomplice, identified as Lambrith Marak
and a village Nokma (traditional heads in Garo Hills) for serving
demand notes on behalf of the GNLA.
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October 14: A suspected GNLA militant
was killed during an encounter with the Army in Adokgre region in
East Garo Hills District. The incident occurred when a team of Army
personnel from Rangjuli camp laid a trap in a dense jungle of Mebenram-Modipara,
10-12 kilometres from Adokgrem.
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October 12: A GNLA cadre and a surrendered
cadre of the same outfit were killed following a skirmish at Songsak
Dikkagittim village in East Garo Hills District.
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October 11: The Security Agencies
are apprehensive that the militant groups of the North East may
try to re-establish bases in Bangladesh if a Government, which is
not very friendly to India, assumes office after 2013 elections
in that country.Highly placed security sources told the newspaper
that despite crackdown launched by the Sheikh Hasina Government,
some militant groups of the North East still have their bases in
that country, but most of the bases are in Bangladesh-Myanmar areas.
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October 10: GNLA 'chairman' Champion
Sangma could not be produced in the court due to the strike in the
Shillong District jail, even as the court took up the matter of
framing charges against him. According to sources, the court will
now issue its order on the charges on October 26. Champion R Sangma
was also produced in court on October 9, but the matter could not
be taken up due to the absence of court staff and the lawyer Sujit
Dey. The matter on was extended for October 10.
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October 8: GNLA suffered a twin
blow when two of its hardcore cadres, identified as Terak N Sangma
and Saleng M Sangma, were shot dead at Gairong Wageasi near Kharkutta
in North Garo Hills District.
SFs killed a suspected GNLA militant
at Medhikona under Dhupdhara Police Station in Goalpara District.
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October 6: Williamnagar Police successfully
thwarted a move by the GNLA to transfer extortion money after the
arrest of two couriers and confiscation of INR 475,000 from hardware
stores of the town. During interrogation the arrested GNLA workers,
identified as Elizer Marak and Tangsengbirth Ch Momin, revealed
that the money collected from all the hardware stores of Williamnagar
was supposed to be handed over to their new 'area commander' Jimmy
Ch Momin.
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October 4: Meghalaya Government
is facing an uphill task in the run up to the Assembly elections
as it has to control the activities of several militant groups in
the State. Four main militant groups -HNLC in Khasi Hills and GNLA,
ANVC and ANVC-B in Garo Hills - can play a crucial role in influencing
the outcome of elections if the candidates fall into the 'temptation'
of making use of these militants to further their cause. There are
also minor groups including LAEF who are active in the border areas
of West Khasi Hills and East Garo Hills.
ANVC publicity secretary, Arist
Sangma, however said, his outfit, currently under ceasefire, would
not meddle in the 2013 election. The HNLC is yet to make its stand
clear on the elections while the ANVC-B has already announced that
it will initiate mass awareness on adult franchise and democratic
rights besides mobilizing a democratic front for the 2013 polls.
The biggest cause of worry is the
recent announcement of GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma that the
outfit was ready to support Congress in the election.
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October 7: SFs killed two suspected
militants of the GNLA at Borjhora village in Goalpara District.
SFs recovered a 7.26 mm pistol with 11 rounds of ammunition.
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September 27: State Governor, Ranjit
Shekhar Mooshahary, questioned the announcement of arrested GNLA
'chairman' Champion R Sangma that he could contest in the ensuing
2013 Assembly polls. Governor pointed out that Champion has several
criminal cases piling up against him.
West Khasi Hills DSP, TC Chacko
and other Police personnel were disallowed by jail staff to interrogate
GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma inside the Shillong Jail.
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September 26: UDP, a key ally in
the State's Congress-led coalition Government on September 26 accused
some Congress leaders of hobnobbing with the GNLA. "The party (UDP)
has taken serious note of some of the Congress leaders' complicity
with the outlawed GNLA," UDP Spokesman Paul Lyngdoh told journalists.
"The party has decided to take up this illegal activity (GNLA supporting
Congress) with the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and Home Minister,
HDR Lyngdoh," the UDP spokesperson said.
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September 25: A Shillong city court
extended the judicial custody of GNLA 'chairman' Champion R. Sangma
by 14 days. Sangma was arrested on July 30.
State Congress unit of entering
into negotiations with the outlawed GNLA for the next year's State
assembly elections.
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September 23: The matter of GNLA's
offer to support Congress party in the upcoming State Assembly election
will dominate the CEC meeting of the UDP scheduled for September
26.
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September 20: The GNLA 'chairman',
Champion R Sangma said that the outfit would support Congress except
in two constituencies in the upcoming 2013 Assembly elections.
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September 19: GNLA chairman Champion
R Sangma, who has been booked in a total of nine cases and presently
in judicial custody, has decided to contest the upcoming Assembly
elections due in 2013.
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September 18: Bangladeshi Security
Forces have launched an intensive operation to track down ULFA-ATF
leader Drishti Rajkhowa from their territory. Rajkhowa alias
Mohan Rabha allegedly operates in lower Assam and reportedly has
links with the Meghalaya-based GNLA. In April, 2012, the GNLA and
RVA reportedly reinforced the ULFA. It is suspected that the RVA
was floated by ULFA to get logistics support in Goalpara and Kamrup
Districts (Assam). The GNLA, meanwhile, would provide support in
Garo hills (Meghalaya).
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September 16: Manipur and Nagaland
are said to be the main centres from where sophisticated arms are
being sent to the Garo Hills Districts of Meghalaya where a major
insurgency upsurge is continuing for the last three years. Nagaland,
home to the oldest insurgency group NSCN, and Manipur, border State
having the largest number of militant groups both in the hills and
the valley, have become ideal States for shopping by Garo militants,
particularly the GNLA.
The GNLA has been operating from
the camp that was hit by SWAT commandos on September 14 in which
Tosol T Sangma was killed. East Garo Hills Police have revealed
that the camp, which was being used as headquarters, was set up
several weeks ago and could house about 20 cadres. Meanwhile, Williamnagar
Police are on look out for the body of one militant identified as
one Pedil who is believed to have been hit during the attack on
the camp.
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September 14: A senior militant
leader ('area commander' of West Khasi Hills District) of the GNLA
outfit was shot dead in an encounter with SWAT commandos of Williamnagar
and CoBRA units of CRPF deep in the jungles of Durama Hills (East
Garo Hills) and recovered a huge cache of arms in the morning. The
militant leader, identified as Tusol T Sangma alias Mikjim, was
inside the main camp of GNLA's 'commander in chief' Sohan D Shira
when the commandos attacked it at around 11 am resulting in a long
gun battle that stretched for several hours.
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September 13: Williamnagar Police
commandos (SWAT) along with CRPF's CoBRA units raided the house
of GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira on September 13 and recovered
a huge number of solar equipment that was about to be shifted to
the militants camps. Six bags of urea meant for making IED were
also seized from the house.
Later, the commandos raided another
house belonging to the militant chief's brother identified as one
Salte Ch Momin and recovered 21 number of table fans, 3 solar plates,
3 mini solar UPS and one digital generator. All the equipments were
supposed to be transported to camps in the dense Durama hills across
the Simsang river.
The BSF and Bangladesh, BGB have
shifted focus on Sherpur District in the Bangladesh to neutralize
the GNLA and ULFA cadres who are holing up in the area.
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September 11: After a local court
rejected his bail application, the 'chairman' of GNLA, Champion
R Sangma is now contemplating to submit a fresh bail application.
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September 9: An explosion took place
in the compound of a petrol station at Barengapara border town in
West Garo Hills District believed to have been triggered by militants
but there were no casualties reported. The hand of militants in
the attack, particularly those from the GNLA have not been ruled
out either.
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September 7: GNLA chief Champion
R Sangma was once again remanded in 14-day judicial custody after
he was produced before the Court of the Judicial Magistrate here.
This is the third time that the former DSP turned militant chief
has been remanded in 14-day judicial custody.
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September 6: United Front formed
by northeastern militants in Myanmar and resurgence of their activities
in Bangladesh was on the agenda of a three-day annual DGP Conference
that began in New Delhi.
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August 31: SFs have launched a massive
operation in South Garo Hills since August 30 to rescue the son
, Konu Mahanta, of a coal exporter who was abducted by GNLA on August
28 night from Chokpot area. South Garo Hills SP Davis NR Marak however,
expressed difficulty in acquiring accurate information about the
abduction as the family members of the abducted individual were
refusing to acknowledge the fact the Mahanta had been kidnapped.
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August 28: BSF troops deployed in
Dalu, West Garo Hills along with the State Police carried out a
joint operation and arrested a GNLA cadre identified as Silvastin
R Marak (23).
Accusing the authorities of giving
preferential treatment to ANVC-B, the GNLA urged the Government
to initiate impartial handling of all the militant outfits. West
Khasi Hills Area Commander of GNLA, Tosol T Sangma said that the
ANVC-B cadres too should be hunted down in the way GNLA members
are being targeted by the Government.
A son of a coal exporter to Bangladesh
was abducted in the State by eight armed men from GNLA outfit, Police
said. No ransom call was received.
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August 26: The court of the Judicial
Magistrate, Shillong has remanded GNLA 'chairman' Champion R Sangma
to 14 more days of judicial custody after he was produced in the
court. While coming out of the court, Sangma expressed his willingness
to hold talks with the State Government.
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August 17: The BSF, with the help
of Police, arrested an overground worker of the GNLA, identified
as Ashish Sangma in South West Khasi Hills District. Sangma revealed
that he used to provide shelter and other administrative support
to GNLA militants.
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August 15: Meghalaya chief minister
Mukul Sangma said that the activities GNLA militants continue to
be a cause of serious concern in the State. Even after the arrest
of GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma, there has been no slowdown of
their criminal activities.
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August 14: The State Government
is of the opinion that the arrest of GNLA 'chairman' Champion R
Sangma would not have any bearings on the activities of the outfit.
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August 11: Central Government was
not keen to hold talks with GNLA on the demand of separate Garoland
in western part of the State, a Union Home Ministry official said.
State Government too appeared not to be in a hurry to accept GNLA's
offer for peace talks.
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August 9: SFs arrested five GNLA
militants while extorting money from a person at Resubelpara in
North Garo Hills District. Acting on a tip off, SFs arrested two
cadres of GNLA, who had gone to a house to collect money they had
demanded from a person. Following their interrogation, three others
of the outfit were later arrested. One of the arrested was the main
accused in the killing of D G Momin, an assistant schoolteacher
at the MP High School, Resubelpara on July 19.
A large amount of this money stashed
away by GNLA in Bangladesh is used to purchase arms. State DGP N.
Ramachandran said that Sohan D. Shira [GNLA-Commander-in-Chief]
and others stash away money in the neighbouring country, thereby
posing hurdles for the police to effectively bust the finance cells
of the outfit. While a group of GNLA cadres collect money by way
of ransom or through other means of extortion, a major portion of
the amount goes to their pockets while only some part goes to Sohan,
the DGP added.
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August 8: GNLA has announced that
it is willing to end its armed struggle if Central Government is
ready to accept its demand for creation of a separate state for
the Garos carved out of present Meghalaya. The 'political secretary'
of GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang Marak, called up media houses from an undisclosed
location in Bangladesh to inform of his outfit's decision to go
the extra mile provided the same is reciprocated by the Central
Government. "We will end all armed struggle if Delhi listens to
our peoples' demand for a separate Garoland state under Article
3 of the Indian Constitution. We do not want a separate country
but wish to remain within India," said Bikdot. He said that Garos
continue to live under the shadow of the Khasi who rule Meghalaya
and there is a long-standing demand by people of this part of the
state for a separate identity.
GNLA "chairman" Champion R. Sangma
is planning to move a bail petition following his arrest on July
30.
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August 7: GNLA in the shot dead
a businessperson at point blank range in North Garo Hills District.
A group of four heavily armed GNLA militants pulled the businessperson,
identified as Nitesh Shah (58), from his shop and killed him for
non-compliance for its extortion demand. 'Area Commander' of GNLA,
Chinang aka 'Laden', was the brain behind the incident, says the
news report.
GNLA abducted a person, identified
as Rupesh Bihari, from Radhe Bazaar under Bajengdoba Outpost in
the same District.
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August 4: The arrested GNLA "chairman",
Champion R. Sangma, has indicated that he is ready to initiate "peace
talks" with the Government. Champion, who has been under detention
at an undisclosed location since July 30, met his counsel Sujit
Dey, where he reportedly indicated a "pro-talks" standpoint. Champion
was "arrested" on July 30 from the Umkrem-Pyrdiwah area under East
Khasi Hills District along the Indo-Bangladesh border.
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August 2: SFs in the State have
been put on alert ahead of the August 15 Independence Day celebration.
Special police teams have been deputed in vulnerable areas and important
government installations, a senior police official.
BSF has deploying approximately
10,000 personnel an observing an 'Ops Alert' between August 6 and
20 along the 498 kilometer international border with Bangladesh,
most of which is unfenced, with difficult terrain and riverine in
nature. "We have received specific inputs from the police that certain
militants like the HNLC are trying to sneak into Meghalaya and create
problems during the celebration," Sudesh Kumar, Inspector General
(IG) BSF, Meghalaya Frontier said.
BSF maintained that the Meghalaya
Police acted on their own in relation to the "arrest" of GNLA "chairman"
Champion R. Sangma. State Police personnel arrested Champion from
the Umkrem-Pyrdiwah area in East Khasi Hills District along the
India-Bangladesh border.
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July 31: Some miscreants believed
to be GNLA sympathizers set ablaze the house of Gaonbura
(village headman) of Soenang Rabha in East Garo Hills District.
Police sources claim that GNLA cadre, identified as Piliport, and
his party are behind the incident which is aimed at diverting the
attention of Security Forces. GNLA cadres operating in the Mendipathar
and Resubelpara areas are intentionally fomenting communal tension
between the Garos and Rabhas so that Police attention is diverted
towards maintaining communal harmony, Police sources said.
A day after the arrest of the GNLA
'chairman' Champion Sangma, the State Police said the next target
would be the 'Commader-in-Chief' of the proscribed outfit Sohan
D Shira. The State Director General of Police (DGP) N Ramachandran
said, "Sohan D Shira who is the military strategist of the outfit
has to be arrested to neutralize the GNLA." According to Ramchandran,
Champion Sangma was looking after the political activities of the
outfit, while Sohan D Shira was the head of its armed wing.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said
Champion was arrested due to sustained efforts of India and Bangladesh.
"The arrest of Champion is the result of sustained efforts of both
the Governments (India and Bangladesh) to eradicate the menace of
terrorism from our soil," the Chief Minister said.
-
July 30: An encounter occurred between
GNLA and Security Forces in Dabingggre village of newly formed North
Garo Hills District. No casualties were reported from the SF, while
SFs are yet to ascertain whether there were any casualties from
the GNLA. Following the incident, a combing operation was launched
in the area. GNLA group consisted of 10 militants led by 'area commander'
identified as Philiport Sangma. All the rebels managed to escape.
SFs arrested 'chairperson' of GNLA,
Champion R. Sangma, from Umkrem-Pyrdiwah area under East Khasi Hills
District, on the Indo-Bangladesh border. "He has been arrested today,
and the court has remanded him to 15 days' police custody," State
DGP N. Ramachandran said. Champion's last reported assignment in
uniform was as an assistant commandant at the 2nd Meghalaya Police
Battalion in Goeragre near Tura, West Garo Hills District. In late
2009, Champion was reported to have left the police force to float
the militant outfit along with former ANVC leader Sohan D. Shira.
Shira is presently 'commander-in-chief' of GNLA. Some media report
states that Sangma, was pushed back by Bangladesh.
-
July 24: A CRPF sub-inspector was
killed and a constable injured in firing by GNLA militants in East
Garo Hills even as SFs busted a camp of the rebel outfit in Durama
Hills range. Sub-Inspector Pradeep Kumar and Constable Munna Kumar
of CoBRA came under heavy firing from the militants while they were
conducting search operations at Nobokgre village.
-
July 23: Fierce gunfight is on between
the SFs and GNLA militants in the jungles of East Garo Hills District.
A joint team of Meghalaya's SWAT and CoBRA have launched a combing
operation at Paromgre area in the foothills of Durama.
-
July 22:A woman was arrested by
Meghalaya police from a locality here for allegedly attempting to
supply arms to GNLA rebels. According to the Police, Zosangpuii
Hmar alias Sangte, a resident of Hrangchal in Champhai District,
Mizoram, was picked up from Lumpyllon Madanryting locality. The
Police seized two Nokia mobile phones from her.
-
July 21: One person was killed and
two people suffered bullet injury when militants belonging to GNLA
opened indiscriminate fire at a market in William Nagar area of
East Garo Hills District. According to sources, the incident came
in the wake of Police intensifying operations against the militants
in the jungles.
-
July 20: GNLA dumped the bodies of two civilians
executed at Rongrong. Both the victims had their hands tied and
were tortured before they were killed. Police have identified one
of the victims as Ringnang Sangma while the second victim is said
to be a school teacher of Cheran Christian School from Pedaldoba,
West Garo Hills District. The two were abducted by the militants
a few days ago and were severely tortured before they were killed.
SFs arrested two persons, suspected
to be involved in arms supply to militants, in Shillong on July
20.The duo have been identified as Adbil Ch Marak and Maybin Ch
Marak of Tura and Jenjal in West Garo Hills District respectively.
According to SFs, the duo was sent by GNLA Southern commander Mikjim
Sangma to buy weapons from Shillong. SFs recovered a sum of INR
0.4 million from their possession.
-
July 19: GNLA militants killed a
young Science teacher in Resubelpara in East Garo Hills District
in the night simply because they believed he was close to the Government
authorities.
BSF along with the Meghalaya Police
arrested two GNLA militants at Salbari village and Khorang Basti
in West Garo Hills District.
-
July 17: President of ARSU, Tankeswar
Rabha, demanded joint operation by SFs along the Assam-Meghalaya
border in lower Assam to tackle the activities of GNLA and other
militant formations active in the region.
-
July 16: Expressing concern over
extortion by various groups in the name of the GNLA, GNLA 'commander-in-chief'
Sohan D Shira has warned the impostors of grave punishments if they
are caught by the outfit. The GNLA chief said there are many people
or groups who are extorting money from different people in Garo
Hills in the name of GNLA and mentioned that, just a few days ago,
one Inspector of Schools from Dakopgre in Tura had received a note
demanding an amount of INR 300, 000 in the name of GNLA.
-
July 15: Unidentified armed men
abducted a private firm official of a cashew processing firm at
Phulbari near Tikrikilla in West Garo Hills District. The account
manager of the private firm identified as Tolaram Sharma (78) was
going along with three others in a private car to Guwahati when
they were stopped by armed men between Phulbari and Tikrikilla.
On getting the information of his
abduction, Police managed to arrest one person, identified as one
Manik, in this connection. The ULFA and the NDFB regularly use the
area, where the abduction took place, for movement and seeking shelter.
The GNLA also operates in the area.
-
July 4: Eight organizations, including
the Goalpara District units of AASU, ARSU, ABSU, ABYF and Sikshak
Samanay Samiti, have called a 12-hour Goalpara District Bandh
(General Strike) on July 4 (today) from 6 am in protest against
the killing of the two teachers - Kameswar Rabha and Sarit Rabha
- after their alleged abduction by the GNLA.
The cashier of the SBI's Songsak
branch, Abdul Halim Ali, and two businessmen, Mithoo Prasad and
Binoy Karmakar, who were abducted from Songsak-Mendipathar road
on June 23 and Deku Bazaar in Chokpot on June 28 respectively, were
released by their abductors. Ali, who was abducted by LAEF militants,
was released at Daurgre area in East Garo Hills District, while
the two businessmen, who were abducted by GNLA militants, were released
near Baromile, Dalu Road in West Garo Hills District. The families
of the two businessmen had reportedly paid a large amount of ransom
for their release. "Halim has been released but I am yet to get
the full details," ADGP-SB, Tennyson Dkhar said. However, intelligence
officials said the abducted cashier was freed after his family members
paid a ransom amount of INR 0 .5 million.
-
June 30: SFs recovered the bodies
of Hatigaon-Belpara Lower Primary School headmaster Kameswar Rabha
and Goalpara District ARSU executive member Sharit Rabha from the
Thanti Hill area near Kachumari village under Krishnai Police Station
of Goalpara, reports The Telegraph. The duo was abducted by suspected
GNLA militants on May 13, 2011. The Police, however, had been maintaining
that the duo was abducted by a gang of armed men.
-
June 28: Suspected GNLA militants
abducted two businessmen, identified as Mithoo Prasad (45) and Binoy
Karmakar (62), from Deku Bazaar in Chokpot, South Garo Hills District
at 3 pm. Karmakar accompanied by Mithoo Prasad, had gone to Chokpot
for business related work when both were abducted, sources informed.
Police have launched a massive search operation in and around the
thick surrounding jungle to locate the abducted businessmen but
their whereabouts have not been ascertained so far.
-
June 23: Suspected GNLA militants
abducted a SBI cashier from East Garo Hills District. The armed
militants abducted Abdul Halim Ali who works in the SBI's Songsak
branch around 2 pm from Rongri market while he was on his way from
Songsak to Rongjeng in a car with his branch manager. Sources said
the outfit has asked for INR 5 million for his release. Sources
said the abductors had actually wanted to abduct the branch manager,
but since Ali did not know how to drive, they took him away instead.
"The militants had wanted Ali to take back the vehicle as they did
not want him to be left stranded on the road. But since he did not
know how to drive, they instead took him (Ali) away. The branch
manager was told not to inform anyone within 24 hours else Ali would
be killed," an official said.
The two persons identified as Jibon
Paul (40) and Jongsil M Sangma (26) from Dalu were arrested by West
Garo Hills Police for having close links with the GNLA. Paul, who
works in a pharmacy in Dalu, was found to be helping in providing
medical assistance to injured and seriously ill militants of the
GNLA. He would supply the cadres with medicines and also offered
treatment to some. His accomplice Jongsil Sangma's role involved
alerting Paul about the medical needs of the ill militants and leading
him to their hideouts. Jongsil also aided the GNLA in providing
information about sources from which money could be extorted. Both
the arrested have confessed to the Police on their involvement with
the militant outfit.
-
June 22: DG of BSF, U.K. Bansal,
asserted that GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma has been arrested
and is currently jailed in Bangladesh. Bansal's statement has confirmed
reports appeared earlier that the militant chief is finally in the
custody of the authorities. When asked for details about the arrest,
the BSF official refused to comment further even though he said:
"I am saying he is in jail from a long time now." He said that the
GNLA chief has to complete his sentence in Bangladesh before his
extradition to India. Since his reported arrest in Bangladesh on
November 2011, the GNLA 'chairman' is said to have been out of touch
with the 'commander-in-chief' of the outfit, Sohan D Shira. However,
the Meghalaya Police have so far maintained a stoic silence on the
GNLA chairman's arrest in Bangladesh.
-
June 19: Police arrested the chief
arms procurer of the GNLA, an official said. Jackuish A. Sangma
was arrested in the night of June 19 from Tura, the District headquarters
of West Garo Hills when he was handing out an extortion note to
a businessman, the Police official said. A foreign-made revolver
along with six rounds of live ammunition, four GNLA extortion notes
and seals were seized from Jackuish's possession.
A new outfit, HPLF, has reportedly
been floated in Khasi-Jaintia Hills Districts. Sources informed
that the HPLF has been formed by certain surrendered HNLC members.
Sources also informed that the outfit is being led by Joplang Lyngdoh
as the 'chairman', Thrang Marwein as 'general secretary' and DL
Sawkmie as 'information secretary'. Sources also alleged that the
group is recruiting new members from all over Khasi and Jaintia
Hills Districts. Presently, the group boasts of strength of about
25 to 30 members. According to sources, the group is in possession
of various weapons including one AK-56 rifle, over ten .9mm pistols,
five revolvers (.38 caliber), hand grenades and others."The chairman,
secretary and information secretary have recently met GNLA area
commander, West Khasi Hills, Savio Marak with a request for support
for their group," sources further informed.
-
June 16: SFs arrested a militant
belonging to Meghalaya based GNLA, identified as R. Sangma, at Damra
area in Goalpara District. SFs recovered INR 600,000 in cash and
a Maruti car from the militant. A Police official added that the
militant was on his way to Dudhnoi in the District to procure some
wireless sets from a Nagaland-based supplier.
-
June 15: The GNLA killed a surrendered
cadre of the outfit, identified as Sonaram Sangma, in South Garo
Hills in the wee hours on June 15. According to Police the surrendered
GNLA cadre was killed at around 12:30 am at a place in Nangalbibra
in South Garo Hills.
-
June 14: Bangladesh High Commissioner
to India, Tarik A Ibrahim denied having any information about GNLA
'chairman' Champion R. Sangma's arrest in Bangladesh. "I am not
aware of this. The matter is being handled by the Union Home Ministries
of the two governments," Ibrahim said. While maintaining that the
Bangladesh Government has adopted a 'zero tolerance policy' against
militant groups operating from Bangladesh soil, the envoy said,
"we will not allow our soil to be used by any person or group inimical
to our national interest or the interests of our neighbours and
friends. I cannot say anything more categorical than this," he added.
Seven organisations of the ARSU
organized a rail blockade for about three hours near Dudhnoi in
Goalpara District. The protest was against Police inaction in rescuing
Kameswar Rabha and Sharit Rabha even after a month of their abduction
by suspected GNLA militants.
The GNLA killed the secretary of
the VDP, Sengkan K Sangma, in East Garo Hills in the night. The
VDP secretary was shot dead at around 11.30 pm at Dajongpara area
under Mendipathar near the PWD road in East Garo Hills. Around 10
armed GNLA cadres shot dead the VDP secretary and left a note near
his body which said that Sangma was killed since he was a dacoit
leader and a Police informer. The note written on a GNLA letter
pad was signed by the 'area commander' of the Northern Command.
Four empty cases of AK and one empty case of pistol were recovered
from the site.
-
June 11: The ANVC-B said its "rise"
has "brought down" the activities of the GNLA in Garo hills. "ANVC
(B) just wants to make it clear that GNLA will not reign in Tura.
We have no less than 50 cadres from Tura who wish to free Tura from
their dominance. Same policy applies for other towns and villages,"
the group stated.
-
June 10: Two GNLA militants were
arrested from West Garo Hills District. Chukat Sangma and Mathew
Sangma were arrested from the Purakhasia area bordering Bangladesh,
Inspector General of Police F.D. Sangma said. He said a pistol,
a revolver, ammunition and some documents were recovered from their
possession. "We are interrogating them and expect them to spill
the beans on GNLA's activities," he said.
The GNLA accused the ANVC-B, of
indulging in various unlawful activities and demanded that the law
should be equal for everyone. In a statement, GNLA 'commander-in-chief'
Sohan D. Shira said the State Police have been turning a blind eye
to the unlawful activities of the ANVC-B. According to the statement,
Shira said ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu Marak was bringing many youths
into his fold, and until recently, had organised a training camp
at Rongkon Megonggre where a recruit was allegedly beaten up for
wanting to leave the group and was hospitalised. In addition, it
is alleged that Marak is aiming to control South Garo Hills because
the area is the richest in terms of mineral resources.
The GNLA has accused the Meghalaya
Police of having a nexus with ANVC-B. They also alleged that ANVC-B
always collect money in the name of GNLA, maligning the GNLA's name.
-
June 7: The unauthorized selling
of SIM cards is rampant in the State and this was exposed by the
Police, even as many SIM cards have reached in bulk to the militants
and other individuals. The retail outlets in Shillong and in West
Khasi Hills District sell SIM cards at INR 250-350 in the open market.
The Meghalaya Police have unearthed this only after tracing the
numbers used by the members of the GNLA. The Shillong Police have
already arrested Bihari Sinha of ETC for issuing SIM cards to individuals
without valid documents. West Khasi Hills District Police also arrested
six franchisees of two private cellular operators in Nongstoin for
committing the same act.
-
June 5: A top cadre of GNLA identified
as Konan Sangma was arrested by the BSF from a village located along
the Indo- Bangladesh stretch of West Garo Hills District on June
5. BSF sources said that they carried a Joint Operations with the
State Police and arrested the cadre from Purakhasia market located
in the fringes of the international boundary. During the search,
one Pistol (7.65 mm, USA made), a magazine and nine rounds of ammunitions
was recovered. During preliminary questioning, it was revealed that
the GNLA cadre was trained in the year 2011 in area under East Garo
Hills District. Detailed interrogation is in progress.
-
June 3: State Police will seek custody
of the six persons including four GNLA militants, who were arrested
by the Assam Police along with a huge consignment of arms and ammunition
from Gorchuk area of Guwahati on June 2, DGP N Ramachandran said
. Four GNLA militants include one Pintu Marak, who is the brother-in-law
of GNLA Commander-in-Chief, Sohan D Shira .The consignment of arms
and ammunition included one AK 74 assault rifle, one Berretta .32
pistol, 25 shells, 400 rounds of AK 74 ammunition, 500 rounds of
9 mm pistol ammunition, 20 rounds of ammunition of .32 Berretta
pistol.
-
June 2: SFs arrested four GNLA militants
including Pintu Marak, brother-in-law of GNLA 'commander-in-chief'
Sohan D Shira, and two Nagaland-based arms smugglers from the Guwahati
city's Tetelia area. SFs recovered one AK-74 (grenade launcher)
rifle, 25 grenades, one Barrette pistol and more than 900 live ammunition
from their possession."The militants confessed that the consignment
was procured from Myanmar and was being taken to Garo Hills through
Nagaland and Assam. The weapons were concealed in secret chambers
built inside the vehicle," Guwahati SSP Apurba Jibon Barua informed
the media.
-
June 1: Commenting about the GNLA,
the Union Home Secretary R.K Singh said that the GNLA has suffered
a lot of reverses in the past few months. He also commended the
efforts taken by the State Police to control the activities of the
outfit. "We are confident that we would very soon catch all their
cadres," Singh stated.
-
May 29: Thirteen organisations of
Goalpara District led by ARSU staged a blockade on NH - 37 and NH-62
at Dudhnoi Chariali demanding the release of Kameswar Rabha and
Sharit Rabha, who were abducted by suspected GNLA militants from
the District on May 13.
A Police constable was killed and
three others were injured in an attack by a group of militants near
Gasuapara in South Garo Hills border in the night, Police informed
. While Constable Pearson Sangma was killed in the firing, three
other Policemen, identified as Gopal Rai, Jopline Kharkongor and
Dilip Marak sustained injuries. A Police official said that the
four police constables who were patrolling on foot were fired upon
from a hillock by a group of militants at around 11:40 pm. Police
are yet to ascertain which militant group was involved in the attack.
There is presence of both GNLA and ULFA in the bordering areas of
Gasuapara where the incident took place. Police have denied rumours
that the constables were attacked in a case of mistaken identity
by another group of armed constables on duty.
-
May 26: Meghalaya Police commandos
attacked and destroyed one of the largest militant camps belonging
to the GNLA near Sobokgre village of East Garo Hills in a fifteen
minute encounter in the morning. Commandos on the search for the
GNLA camp came under sustained fire from 'sentries' positioned at
lookout posts outside the camp area just after 10 am. The militants
used heavy weaponry firing several rocket propelled grenades against
the Police and the commandos also retaliated with 2-inch mortars
to blast their way through. However, there were no casualties from
either the Police or the militants' side. "The camp was almost like
an entire village closeted as can be seen from its huge size. We
believe it to be their general headquarters and Sohan D Shira was
present in the camp during the encounter," said Police.
-
May 24: Two top militants of the
GNLA, identified as Elvin M Sangma aka Oldng and Rikseng
D Sangma aka Moga, involved in several criminal activities
surrendered to West Garo Hills District Police along with .32 pistol
and nine bullets and three Chinese hand grenades.
-
May 22: A suspected GNLA cadre was
arrested from Nongchram area near Shallang West Khasi Hills District.
A foreign-made hand-grenade was seized from him.
-
May 19: SFs arrested three youths
on an unspecified date at Thakuranbari village near Mankachar in
Dhubri District bordering Meghalaya when they were trying to exhort
money from a local businessperson in the name of GNLA. The youths
had come to the house of one Hasmat Hussain of Thakuranbari and
demanded INR 500,000 from him.
-
May 18: The DC of East Garo Hills
and Goalpara, Vijay Mantri and Preetam Saikia respectively, held
separate meetings to assess the situation on the Assam-Meghalaya
border. He urged the public to remain calm and not to resort to
any act of violence following the abduction of two Rabha tribesmen
by suspected GNLA militants. The duo was abducted on May 13 last
from Goalpara District and is yet to be traced. East Garo hills
DC, Mantri said the kidnapping was the handiwork of a Garo criminal
gang and the motive appears to be ransom. "Though GNLA was accused
of the kidnapping, the outfit has denied its involvement," Mantri
said.
-
May 17: Normal life was affected
following twin 12-hour Goalpara District bandh called by ARSU and
RNC to protest against the abduction of a schoolteacher Kameshwar
Rabha and ARSU activist Sorit Rabha by suspected GNLA militants
in the District.
The GNLA militants killed a villager
from South Garo Hills for extorting money in the name of the outfit.
According to the Police, the incident took place in the night after
the militants abducted him. The body of the villager was recovered
with bullet marks from Silkigre village in Chokpot, South Garo Hills.
The militants, who executed the villager, left a note identifying
the victim as Gobin Sangma and said he had resorted to extortion
in the name of the outfit. GNLA leader Jack Marak, who is looking
after the affairs of GNLA in Chokpot, South Garo Hills, signed the
letter. Several villagers were executed by the GNLA in the past
on the allegation that they were either extortionists or Police
informers.
-
May 16: Meghalaya Chief Minister
Mukul Sangma made it clear that his Government would not hold any
dialogue with the proscribed GNLA. The Chief Minister said, "After
the people's defiance, the government's decision not to succumb
to their pressure tactics has become more pronounced." Speaking
about the hardship encountered by the people of Garo Hills due to
the 144-hour GNLA sponsored bandh (shut down) in the first
week of this month, Sangma stated, "Our government cannot turn a
blind eye to the sufferings of the people created by such groups.
The government will not go for any dialogue with the GNLA because
we have seen militancy is more of an industry in the State." He
substantiated his points by illustrating the emergence of multiple
militant outfits in Garo Hills after the suspension of the ceasefire
between the Government and the ANVC. Even as he spoke about the
multi-pronged approach to bring about development and "to stop the
youths from being lured by the fantasy of militancy", he asserted
that the fight against militancy will carry on through police operations
and other developmental works.
-
May 14: 84 remote villages in Kamrup
District bordering Meghalaya under the jurisdiction of KVDC have
now vowed to resist militant activities in the area, which is frequently
used by ULFA and GNLA militants. Community leaders representing
84 Gram Sabhas (Village council) will formally join hands on May
15 in Kinan village to resist insurgent activities including extortion,
passage of rebels through their villages and providing shelter to
them.
BSF personnel at Maheshkhola in
the South Garo Hills District carried out special operations and
arrested a GNLA linkman, identified as Sonion Marak, while he was
infiltrating to India from Bangladesh. The BSF also seized Taka
8,500, INR 500 and a mobile phone with Bangladesh SIM. During preliminary
questioning, Marak confessed he was working with the outfit and
facilitating trans-border movements of GNLA cadres.
The increase in activities of the
GNLA militants in Ri Bhoi District is troubling traders engaged
in stone quarries and stone crushing units. City-based traders running
the stone quarries complained that their business had been affected
in the past four months as many owners have been asked to pay up
by the GNLA. "There are at least 15-20 stone quarries in the Maikhili
area in Meghalaya and many owners have been asked by the GNLA to
pay money. As a result, owners of the units and their managers are
scared to visit the plant. Even labourers, too, are scared to work
fearing attacks. As a result, business activities have been affected
in the past few months," a businessman in the city who runs a stone
quarry in Ri Bhoi said.
-
May 10: GNC and GWC will convene
a meeting on May 16 at Kinangaon in Kamrup District in which villagers
will pledge their support to Security Forces in their fight against
militants. Police officers in Kamrup District and Army personnel
deployed in the areas to counter militants will also attend the
meeting. Two militant groups the GNLA and RVA are active in the
hilly inter-state [Assam-Meghalaya] areas.
-
May 9: There was a fierce exchange
of fire between SFs and the GNLA that ended in the militants retreating
into the forests in East Garo Hills District, Police said. The gunfight
lasted for about an hour. Though there were no casualties on the
SFs side, Police are yet to confirm if any of the militants were
injured. The exchange of fire took place at 2.00 pm in Gitokgre
village, about 10 km from Williamnagar, the District headquarters
of East Garo Hills when the SFs came under fire from GNLA rebels
in hiding.
The State Police have intensified
security in various parts of the Shillong city (East Khasi Hills)
in view of intelligence inputs about a possible attempt by the Garo
Hills GNLA to attack major commercial establishments in the city.
Intelligence sources informed that the GNLA is planning to attack
various commercial places like Khyndai Lad and Iewduh. It indicated
that the GNLA, which has been pushed to the corner in Garo Hills
due to continuous counter-insurgency operation against them, would
attempt retaliation.
The State Police reiterated that
the adopted tough policy towards the GNLA will not change, besides
sticking to the stand "surrender with arms before thinking of a
dialogue". State DGP, N Ramachandran said that this is a clear policy
of the Government and there will be no deviation from the policy
and let off in the operations against the outfit.
SFs arrested two GNLA militants
from Darka area in Goalpara District (Assam). The arrested militants
were identified as Pilat B. Marak (20) and Damin Sangma (22).
-
May 8: Reiterating his Government's
stand of going all out against GNLA, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma,
made a clarion call to its cadres to lay down arms even as he assured
attractive packages for them provided they came forward to surrender.
The Chief Minister made it clear that the Government had no intention
of suspending the ongoing operation against the GNLA. Mukul Sangma
also stated there is no question of holding dialogue with the GNLA
which is led by a person who is already a deserter. The Chief Minister
said that Sohan D Shira, who is leading the GNLA after deserting
the ANVC, had on several occasions cheated the Government.
-
May 7: The GNLA, in the evening,
called off its 300-hour "dawn-to-dusk" bandh (shut down strike)
in the Garo Hills region after a huge public outcry against it.
A clarion call to bring normalcy back to Garo Hills resulted in
thousands of people coming out of their homes to participate in
a mass rally defying militant threats at the start of the 300-hour
GNLA bandh which commenced at 6 am.
-
May 5: The ANVC-B criticized the
GNLA for calling a 144 hours bandh (shut down strike) which
started on April 30. The bandh has brought the entire Garo
Hills to a standstill. In a statement issued, ANVC-B 'chairman'
Rimpu N Marak said this kind of stand on the part of GNLA "is turning
peaceful life of common man in Garo Hills into misery."
The GNLA called the bandh
demanding suspension of the ongoing counter-insurgency operations.
-
May 3: Security has been beefed
up in all major Government installations in Meghalaya after intelligence
inputs warn that GNLA may attack them. Of a list of important Government
assets, the main secretariat building has been listed as a "high
risk" Government infrastructure that could face possible attacks
from the militant outfit, officials said.
The six-day bandh (shut down
strike) called by GNLA in the Garo Hills region of the State entered
the fourth day. Hitting out at the GNLA for calling bandh in Garo
Hills, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has said there must be some 'smart
people' who are advising the militant outfit to hold these agitations.
The Chief Minister said the main intention of asking the militant
outfit to hold the agitation is to derail the implementation of
various developmental programmes.
-
May 2: Two persons, identified as
Sudir Mahanta and Anwar Hussain, were injured in a grenade attack
at a market in Shallang in West Khasi Hills District. The explosion
took place at around 6pm when two suspected to be GNLA cadres lobbed
two grenades at the market place, Police said. However, one of the
grenades did not explode. "It could be the handiwork of the GNLA
militants to create fear psychosis and divert security agencies'
attention in the wake of the combing operation against them," an
intelligence official said.
-
April 30: The144-hours long bandh
(shutdown strike) called by GNLA commenced at 6am on April 30 in
the entire Garo hills region. Details are awaited.
-
April 29: Police rejected the demand
of GNLA to stop operations against them and reiterated that anti-insurgency
operations against the militant group would be intensified.
Kamrup chief judicial magistrate
remanded four militants of the Meghalaya-based GNLA to eight-day
Police custody for interrogation. The four militants were arrested
on April 28 in the outskirts of Guwahati City.
-
April 28: SFs arrested four militants
belonging to the GNLA from the Garchuk area in Guwahati city. GNLA
cadres were identified as DS Sangma (55), SSG Momin (35), Salgra
G Momin (21) and Alichum Sangtam (26). One AK-56 rifle, one HK rifle,
live ammunitions and incriminating documents were recovered from
the militants' possession.
The GNLA announced a series of bandhs
in the Garo hills to protest against deployment of SFs for counter
insurgency operations. GNLA has announced a 144-hour bandh
(General Strike) from 6am of Monday (April 30) to 6 am of May 5
in the three Garo hills Districts.
GNLA also announced another 300-hour
bandh from May 7 if the Government still did not respond
to its demand. GNLA 'political secretary' Bikdot Nikjang Marak said
the fresh announcement of the 300-hour bandh in Garo hills was because
of the adamant stand of the State Government.
Several church bodies in the Garo
hills region have expressed concern over the string of bandhs called
by the GNLA and asked the outfit to desist from this form of agitation.
They also urged the Government to call the GNLA for talks.
State Police announced a cash reward
of INR one million for information on "commander-in-chief" of GNLA,
Sohan D. Shira. Police also released a list offering cash rewards
from INR 50,000 to INR one million "for information on the presence
or movement of GNLA militants" as part of their effort to end the
terror unleashed by the outfit's cadres in the three districts of
Garo hills and adjoining areas. Other GNLA leaders in the list include
"deputy commander-in-chief" Rupanto R. Marak, former Police constable
Savio R. Marak who operates in Hahim/Aradonga region and Baichung
Ch. Momin who looks after the GNLA's activities in Chokpot.
Police on recovered a powerful IED
weighing five kilograms planted by GNLA rebels inside a culvert
in South Garo Hills bordering Bangladesh.
After building close links with
ULFA-ATF, the GNLA are developing contacts in the neighbouring Nagaland
and procuring sophisticated arms from Naga militant groups, who
route the weapons via Guwahati (Assam), making it more difficult
for the city Police to intercept them. Intelligence sources confirmed
that GNLA is buying lightweight assault rifles and guns as well
as ammunition from various agents backed by NSCN. "They are purchasing
Heckler & Koch assault rifles, something not even available for
many of our security forces. They are also buying Austria-made Glock
guns from the grey markets of Dimapur. These high range guns are
light in weight and are now the favourite for ultras," said the
source.
According to the source, the Nagaland-based
outfits are getting these arms from Myanmar and some Chinese agents.
"They buy an assault rifle for around Rs 8 lakh [INR 800,000] and
a sophisticated pistol for Rs 4-5 lakh [INR 400,000-500,000]. They
also arrange for agents to act as carriers to deliver the consignments,"
said the source, adding that in many cases the transit is also via
Mizoram. Paid handsomely, the carriers bring these arms in secret
chambers of vehicles and drive through Assam to reach Meghalaya.
-
April 27: Meghalaya Police arrested
a Police Constable, identified as Alex Grahambel Marak, for his
alleged links with GNLA. The SWAT of the Meghalaya Police arrested
Marak from his place of posting at Bholaganj, around 75 kilometers
from Shillong in East Khasi Hills District. The Police also seized
10 GNLA demand notes, three cell phones, four SIM cards, two pen
drives and other incriminating documents from his possession. They
are investigating the ways in which Marak helped the GNLA to expand
its activities.
-
April 26: Suspected GNLA militants
triggered a powerful IED blast targeting at a truck of Policemen
which narrowly missed them Chokpot region of South Garo Hills. The
incident happened when a large group of armed Policemen returning
to Tura after conduct of anti-insurgency operations were targeted
by the GNLA militants who detonated the explosive hidden on the
side of a road culvert at Daji Tesakgre village, just 3 kilometres
from Chokpot between 3:30 and 4 pm. The militants, suspected to
be led by 'area commander' Baichung Momin, laid the trap for the
Police truck but the explosion took place just before the truck
crossed the culvert.
As soon as the blast occurred there
was exchange of fire as the militants who were hiding up in the
nearby hills tried to attack the Police personnel who also responded
with heavy firing forcing the militants to flee. No casualties were
reported from either side.
-
April 24: Meghalaya DGP N. Ramachandran
said there are indications that some teenagers who were lodged in
GNLA camps have returned home. On April 10, the DGP had set a week's
deadline to attack the camps of GNLA if the teenagers were not released
by the militant outfit. At least 120 teenagers were recruited by
the GNLA to assist the cadres in the camps. The teenagers carry
out menial jobs in the camps. The DGP said the primary intention
of setting a deadline to the GNLA was not aimed at large scale surrender
of the cadres. "Our intention was to get back the teenagers from
the GNLA camps," the DGP said.
The State Police asserted that operations
against the GNLA will continue. The statement came on the eve GNLA's
proposed 72-hour bandh (shut down strike) in Ampati and Selsella
area in West Garo Hills District from April 25. The GNLA earlier
gave a three-day deadline to the Government to withdraw its forces
engaged in counter-insurgency operations. According to Ramachandran,
their demand for the withdrawal of security forces clearly indicates
that the outfit is under tremendous pressure.
Suspected GNLA militants killed
a villager in remote Rohanpara village under Purakhasia region of
West Garo Hills District suspecting him to be a Police informer.
Suspected GNLA militants open fire
on a civilian vehicle, going from Mancachar in Assam towards Baghmara
in South Garo Hills District, at Sibbari area in South Garo Hills
District. No casualty was reported.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma accused
the GNLA of resorting to desperate attempts by calling a 72-hour
bandh in parts of Garo Hills to pressurize the State Government
to call off the operation against the militant formation.
-
April 19: Police shot dead a GNLA
cadre during an encounter with a group of militants at Maidugiitim,
around 40 kilometers from Baghmara in South Garo Hills. According
to Police, around six GNLA cadres fired at a Police team at around
5.30 pm compelling the Police to retaliate. In the exchange of fire,
a GNLA cadre, who is yet to be identified, was killed and a live
grenade was recovered from him.
-
April 17: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma
deliberating at the annual conference of Chief Ministers on Internal
Security conference in New Delhi informed that the operations against
the GNLA militants have entered a crucial phase and the State police
have been able to achieve several successes in the fight against
militancy in the State.
-
April 13: A Police commando and
a 12-year-old girl, identified as Donamya Marak, were injured in
an encounter with the GNLA militants at Adokgre village near Chokpot
in South Garo Hills. A GNLA militant was also seriously injured
in the encounter. The militants ambushed the Police team around
8.30 am. The Police have not disclosed the name of the injured commando
because of Security reasons. The Police said the group which fired
at the Police team was led by the outfit's southern 'commander',
Baichung Momin from Chokpot in South Garo Hills.
The GNLA has also stepped up extortion
activities in all the three Districts of Garo hills. The Police
have warned businessmen and traders not to cooperate with the GNLA.
-
April 12: SFs recovered the body
of Jaydev Rabha at Khaksi Ghagri in Goalpara District near the State
border with Meghalaya. Suspected GNLA cadres had abducted Jaydev
Rabha along with Dr Partha Sarathi Hazarika, Rupak Mahanta and Diganta
Nandi when they were coming to Goalpara from Dudhnoi in the same
District on March 4. Later, GNLA militants released Dr Partha Sarathi
and Diganta Nandi on March 13.
The GNLA made attempts to target
non-indigenous people and Police personnel in the Garo Hills in
retaliation to the statement of Meghalaya Police that they would
attack the outfit's camps within a week.
GNLA cadres tried to set ablaze
a few houses belonging to non-indigenous people at Nangalbibibra
in South Garo Hills in the morning, but the timely intervention
of Police foiled the attempt.
Police also claimed that two militants
were injured when Police fired at the cadres, who were trying to
shoot a non-indigenous trader at Nangalbibibra.
GNLA cadres attacked the sub-divisional
Police officer of Dadengre civil sub-division, Brono Sangma at around
4 pm at Mrongre in West Garo Hills. However, no one was injured
in the attack.
The GNLA sponsored bandh
(shut down strike) in protest against the recent (April 5) killing
of four of its cadres paralysed normal life in Garo Hills.
-
April 11: A day after Meghalaya
Police issued a week's ultimatum to GNLA to end violence and surrender,
the outfit said that it would attack Police outposts and target
the non-indigenous people if Police went ahead with their plan of
attacking their camps. In a statement issued to the media, the GNLA
'political secretary' Bikdot Nikjang Marak said: "If the government
goes ahead with the plan, then similar action against non-indigenous
people in Garo hills will be initiated by us." The GNLA further
warned that if the Government continued to deploy more central Security
Forces, including the CRPF and the BSF, to hunt for GNLA cadres,
the outfit would not hesitate to attack the non-indigenous people.
The ANVC-B has issued a strong warning
against the supporters of the GNLA. Warning the supporters of the
GNLA, 'joint secretary' of the ANVC-B, Rangdo R Marak stated that
the warning is against all the patrons of the GNLA. "We will take
strong action against all who host, support, give financial aid
and provide assistance to GNLA," stated Marak adding that this goes
to all politicians, businessmen, Nokmas, NGOs and individuals who
are using GNLA as a tool for their own interest and exploiting the
Garo society and resources of the land.
The threat came days after the pro
truce ANVC headed by Jerome Momin and Dilash Marak were reported
to be lethargic in countering the GNLA. The GNLA, under the leadership
of Sohan D Shira, deserted ANVC leader, have issued frequent threats
to the ANVC.
-
April 10: Toughening its stand,
the State Government on April 10 served a week's ultimatum to the
GNLA to surrender with arms before the Government or else 'force'
would be used against them. The ultimatum was served following Police
reports that a large number of youngsters were presently at the
camp of the GNLA apart from few armed militants, the DGP N Ramachandran
said. Maintaining that GNLA was armed with sophisticated weapons,
Ramachandran said that the Police would be compelled to use lethal
weapons against the militant outfit. "We have been exercising utmost
restraint while carrying out operations against the GNLA militants
to avoid collateral damage and civilian casualties," the DGP said.
He said that the Police forces also
know that the 'respectable' citizens are engaged in collecting money
on behalf of the militant group as agents and middlemen. What is
most damaging is that the militant group has been recruiting innocent
youngsters and destroying their lives, added the DGP.
-
April 9: A day after SFs busted
GNLA "commander-in-chief" Sohan D. Shira's camp in East Garo Hills,
Meghalaya Police claimed that they have obtained several information
regarding Shira's activities from within his outfit. DGP Ramachandran
said, "At present there is a rift between senior cadres of the GNLA
not because of any ideological difference, but because of share
of money being collected".
The East Garo Hills administration
suspects that Brutush Momin (the bodyguard of GNLA Sohan D Shira),
who suffered serious bullet injuries during heavy exchange of fire
with the Police on April 8, must have died.
Police and paramilitary forces have
intensified the hunt for Sohan D Shira and other militants of the
outfit a day after they escaped a raid by SFs at their camp in East
Garo Hills District on April 8.
-
April 8: SFs stormed a major hideout
of the GNLA in which the outfit's 'chief' Sohan D Shira was holed
up leading to a 15 minutes heavy exchange of fire in the forests
of Bawegre village, 10 kilometers from the East Garo Hills District
headquarters in the morning, following intelligence reports of militant
movement. Shira managed to escaped but left behind a huge number
of highly explosive rocket propelled grenades. The SFs recovered
66 live RPG shells neatly packed and concealed in one of the three
camp tents set up in the forest.
Six coal export company workers
who had been abducted by GNLA from Gasuapara in South Garo Hills
District on April 6 have been released. The six were released unharmed
from a forest hideout in the morning and has since been brought
to Baghmara safely. Police do not rule out the payment of ransom
for their early release.
-
April 6: Six employees of a Garo
hills-based coal exporter were abducted by GNLA from Gausapara coal
export point, 35 kilometres from Baghmara, the headquarters of South
Garo Hills District. South Garo Hills superintendent of Police M.K.
Singh said two GNLA cadres came at 1 am to Gasuapara, close to the
Bangladesh border, and abducted six employees of the coal exporter,
Henning Sangma. The abducted employees have been identified as Biswajit
Majumdar, Ashish Jaiswal, Birendra Yadav, Mahendra Yadav, Chandreswar
Rai and Rohit Sharma. The Police said the GNLA militants have demanded
no ransom from the coal exporter. Singh termed the abduction as
a desperate act.
-
April 5-6: An eight year old girl,
Pyara Begum, a victim of GNLA terror attack on April 5, succumbed
to her injuries on April 6. West Garo Hills deputy commissioner
Pravin Bakshi said that in retaliation to the killing of four GNLA
cadres on April 5, a group of suspected GNLA militants hurled two
hand grenades at 8.15 pm on the same day at a residential area at
Lokaichar near Kaliachar, around 70 kilometers (km) from Tura injuring
the girl.
-
April 5: SFs killed four GNLA militants,
who were involved in setting ablaze 14 coal-laden trucks recently,
at Mongpangro near Keragalram village near Mendipathar in East Garo
Hills. However, some other militants in the group managed to escape.
SFs could identify only three dead militants as Jenny Momin, Pilliport
Momin and Rikjeng Marak. SFs recovered an AK-47 rifle from the encounter
site.
-
April 2: GNLA linkman, identified
as Ribul Ali (28), from Paikan under Krishnai Police Station of
Goalpara District (Assam). SFs recovered one 7.62 mm pistol, one
round of ammunition and INR 100,000 from Ali.
The breakaway faction of the ANVC
has warned the GNLA to restrain from causing more damages to already
battered Garo society. In an emailed statement, the 'personal secretary'
to Mokus Marak (leader of the breakaway faction), Nado R. Marak
said, "The GNLA is even demanding money from Garo officers and doctors."
While refusing to call them as the anti-talk faction of the outfit,
Marak said that they are not against dialogue "as ultimately negotiation
is the only way to find solution to any problem."
The Meghalaya Government will soon
communicate to ANVC on a mechanism which does not come into conflict
either with the State Government or with the GHADC, while finalising
the outfit's demand for the formation of a GAC. Chief Minister Mukul
Sangma said, "We are working out a mechanism and the same will be
presented to the ANVC soon to get their feedback," Sangma said.
The ANVC, in its memorandum related to the formation of GAC, had
made it clear that the outfit's demand, if fulfilled, would be different
from the existing GHADC, as there will be direct funding from the
Centre for the new autonomous body as demanded by them. Another
proposal by the ANVC is that senior Government officials will be
appointed under GAC to supervise the administration to maintain
transparency and accountability.
-
March 31: A group of nine armed
militants of the GNLA opened fired at the 14 coal-laden trucks before
pouring petrol and setting the vehicles on fire at Wageasi in East
Garo Hills. While 13 trucks were gutted, villagers doused the flames
on one of the trucks after the militants left the scene. Police
sources said the motive behind the act was yet to be ascertained.
"We are yet to know whether the GNLA had served any demand notice
to the truckers or the owners of the trucks," an unnamed Police
official said.
-
March 30: ANVC, which is on a tripartite
ceasefire agreement with the Government of India and the Government
of Meghalaya, finally split which may have an impact on the ongoing
peace process. A leader from the anti talks faction of ANVC, said
that around 300 cadres, including 'officers', have joined the anti-talk
faction of the ANVC. "The designated ANVC camps are isolated and
many cadres have returned to the jungles", the leader added. When
asked why the split, the leader blamed the peace talks which have
become a non-starter as a result of which the cadres are dissatisfied.
The lukewarm response of the Government of India to the ANVC demand
for a GAC is one reason for the dissatisfaction of the cadres. "Another
reason which forced the cadres to return to jungle was to safeguard
the common people from the pressure GNLA and the motive is to bring
down the activities of GNLA," the leader added.
-
March 29: Security Forces rescued
five persons hours after they were abducted by cadres of GNLA while
arresting three GNLA militants from Lad Mawreng in East Khasi Hills.The
five abductees, identified as Bolan Rabha, Ranjan Koch, Proveen
Khalari, Halorstar Myrthong and Andrias Myrthong are employees of
the Jaypee Group, which is executing Stage II of the Kynshi Hydel
Power project, from Wahkaji in West Khasi Hills. They were abducted
on March 28. The militants were arrested following a fierce gun
battle between the GNLA cadres and the Police at Lad Mawreng in
the morning. They arrested militants were identified as Anthony
Marak, Sen P Marak and Manuel G Momin. One AK-56 rifle, three magazines
and 47 rounds of ammunition along with plastic coated wire meant
for use as IED, magazine pouches and other clothing items were seized
from Anthony Marak while one .38 fabricated pistol along with magazine
were seized from the other two militants.
SFs arrested two arms carrier from
Sonapur area in Guwahati city, Assam. SFs identified the duo as
Shwmdwn Daimary of Chirang District and Shubash Rai. SFs recovered
two German Heckler and Koch rifles and a large amount of ammunition
from the duo's possession. The Police believe that arms and ammunition
were for GNLA militants.
-
March 28: There was an exchange
of fire between SFs and GNLA. The exchange of fire took place at
around 7.30 am in Bara Diengngan and Diengnganrit, about 30 kilometres
from Borsora in West Khasi Hills District, when the SFs came under
fire from GNLA militants. The gunfight lasted for about 15 minutes.
Though there were no casualties reported on either side, Police
were confirming whether any militant had been injured. Police have
launched a combing operation in the area. "The combing operation
will continue in the area to flush them out," R Muthu, Superintendent
of Police West Khasi Hills said.
Sources further informed that GNLA
cadres had significant presence in Borsora with many coal traders
in the area having received demand notes seeking ransom of INR 250,000-300,
000. It was also informed that the GNLA has asked the coal traders
to pay the ransom by the end of March, 2012.
-
March 27: The GNLA is now targeting
minor children and teenagers to carry out their activities in the
State. Informing this, DGP N Ramachandran said that the outfit is
now trying to lure teenagers by promising them money. "This is a
dangerous trend," he said, adding, the parents have been cautioned
to take care of their children "so that they don't fall into the
trap of the outfit". The outfit is also trying to recruit women,
he said. The matter came to light recently when East Garo Hills
Police arrested a GNLA recruiting agent.
-
March 25: SFs arrested two militants,
including a woman, belonging to the Garo Hills-based GNLA, identified
as Vishal Hajong and Balsri M Marak, from Barengpara village under
Dalu Police Station in West Garo Hills. A .9 mm pistol, a magazine
with four ammunition, mobile phones and Bangladeshi SIM cards were
seized from their possession. The Police alleged that the two had
gone to Bangladesh to procure arms for the outfit. While Balrsi
is believed to be a close aide of GNLA 'Commander-in-Chief' Sohan
D Shira, Vishal was actively involved in Ampati area of West Garo
Hills District.
-
March 24: Two GNLA militants identified
as Letmin Ch Momin alias Khanam Ch Momin and Balsrang Marak
alias Matnang Ch Marak surrendered at Dobasipara in West
Garo Hills District. The two had joined the outfit in 2011 and undergone
training at Sabogre and Rongchakgre under Williamnagar Police station.
-
March 22: Williamnagar Police in
East Garo Hills District arrested Sanjib M Sangma, a kingpin involved
in recruiting young boys to join the GNLA. The Police also rescued
three teenagers who were being taken to enroll in the outfit. The
three young boys who were rescued are identified as Sengjrang G
Momin (17), Chanchang R Marak (16) and Chirikrak A Sangma (17).
GNLA has issued extortion notes
to various people engaged in coal mining in Khateja, Amarsang, Bermudar,
Kulang and Nonjri sectors of West Khasi Hills District.
State Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh
categorically stated that the State Government would not invite
any militant groups for talks if they do not abjure the path of
violence and lay down arms. Lyngdoh said, "The government is not
adverse to talks and it will initiate dialogue with the militant
outfits if they shun violence and lay down arms". Lyngdoh about
the violent activities perpetrated by the GNLA since January 2010
said that during this period, the GNLA killed 25 civilians and injured
three besides killing 10 police personnel and injuring eight others.
Home Minister on the action taken by Security Forces said, "During
the period, police arrested 156 militants. 31 militants were killed
and 65 others surrendered. 93 sophisticated arms were also recovered."He
claimed that the HNLC, a Khasi militant group has been crushed and
the Government is determined to ensure that it does not raise its
ugly head again. He said the increasing militant activities and
a low Police-Population-Area ratio posed a 'big challenge'. "We
recognise that there is a need to improve our police-population
ratio and to stengthen the police network so that the problem (militancy)
can be nipped at the initial stage," Lyngdoh said. Meghalaya has
13,394 police personnel, which works out to 110 Police personals
for a lakh population and one police covering an area of 6.83 square
kilometer, Lyngdoh said. Lyngdoh said the Central Government accorded
sanction of INR 50 crore from the 13th Finance Commission for the
setting up of a Meghalaya Police Academy, aimed at developing it
as a centre of excellence for police training.
SFs arrested two GNLA militants,
identified as Khemsing D Momin (32) and Sengkot Momin (31), from
Baida and Tilapara village in Goalpara District. SFs recovered 2
x 7.62 single barrel rifles and cash worth INR 9,450.
-
March 20: SFs arrested two GNLA
linkmen, identified as Khairul Islam and Rofiqul Islam, from Bamundanga
village in Goalpara District in Assam.
-
March 17: ULFA-ATF leader Drishti
Rajkhowa is planning abductions, extortions and other acts of terrorism
in collaboration with GNLA. Guwahati City SP, Arupba Jibon Barua,
in this regard said: "We have information that Drishti is in constant
touch with GNLA militants trying to spread their tentacles in and
around the city and some areas of lower Assam. There are inputs
that he has on several occasions even been sheltered many by the
Garo militant group in the bordering areas of Assam-Meghalaya."
-
March 13: Meghalaya Chief Minister
Mukul Sangma, said that the complex problem of countering militancy
through a multi-pronged approach needs a reciprocal gesture from
Assam. The Chief Minister said, "Around 30 per cent of the GNLA
cadres hails from Assam. So co-operation from our neighbouring State
is necessary to fight militancy through multi-pronged approach."
The Chief Minister further said, "There is an urgent need to fence
the India-Bangladesh border in order to prevent illegal import of
weapons and explosives which the GNLA is doing for the past few
months."
-
March 12: Six GNLA cadres were arrested
while a businessman who was abducted on March 2 was rescued following
a raid at Umkrem jungle under Pelingkata area in Ri-Bhoi District.
The businessman, Dinesh Sharma, was rescued unharmed. The arrested
cadres were identified as Tengrik Ch Sangma alias Rimpu,
Walgrik Marak, Paulus Marak, Maukherji Arengh, Paulektus Momin and
Jerik Sangma. However, an 'area commander' of GNLA, identified as
Hiderson Sangma, managed to escape along with four other militants.
Police are keeping a close watch
on Garbhanga reserve forest on the city's outskirts close to Ri
Bhoi and West Khasi Hills Districts of Meghalaya, with the GNLA
now targeting businessmen in the city.
-
March 10: A group of unidentified
men suspected to be GNLA attacked a petrol pump in remote Chokpot
region of South Garo Hills in broad daylight. The suspected militants,
numbering between four to six, walked up to the Abisa petrol pump
at New Chokpot village of South Garo Hills and opened fire hitting
one of the pumping machines. No one was hurt in the attack. The
militants fled immediately after the attack and it is suspected
that the attack may have been due to non-payment of extortion money
to the outfit by the owner of the oil depot.
-
March 9: The arrest of four members
of GNLA by Assam Police has revealed that the militant outfit was
trying to make inroads into neighbouring Ri Bhoi District of Meghalaya.
One of the arrestees, Mukher G. Areng, was reportedly providing
shelter and other support to GNLA militants in Ri Bhoi District.
"During the interrogation of the four rebels, it has come to light
that the GNLA is trying to make inroads into Ri Bhoi district, where
they were less active so far," Apurba Jibon Baruah, senior superintendent
of Police (Guwahati), said. Jibon Baruah further said investigations
have revealed that the GNLA and the Paresh Barua group of ULFA had
reached an understanding and both were helping each other. "According
to the understanding, Ulfa will not harm the Garo people living
on the Assam side, while a group of 30-40 Ulfa cadres are taking
shelter in GNLA camps in the West Garo Hills district," he said.
Suspected GNLA militants shot dead
one person of Boro Gokul village near Bajengdoba in East Garo Hills.
Four masked men in black dress barged into the house of one Randith
Sangma (38) at Boro Gokul near Mendipather and took him away. The
men carried one AK rifle and concealed their face with a black cloth.
The victim was taken about 300 meters from his house and was shot
dead. He received a bullet injury on his head and died instantly.
It is not known who the killers were but suspicion is on the GNLA.
However, involvement of other groups are not being ruled out by
Police given that the GNLA do not hide their identity and always
leave behind a note citing the reason for the killing.
GNLA, a Meghalaya-based outfit,
is trying to sneak into Guwahati city to carry out unlawful activities.
This revelation came after the arrest of 'lance corporal 'of GNLA,
from Nine mile area of Guwahati on March 8. "The GNLA is trying
to sneak into the city areas and is targeting some businessmen for
abductions to collect money. We have inputs that they are also in
touch with major outfits of Assam," said an intelligence official.
State Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary
admitted that the activities of GNLA have posed a serious challenge
to peace and development but the Government would do everything
possible to neutralize it. Mooshahary said that action against the
members of the outfit and those who are found to be supporting in
raising funds for the militant group would be initiated as per the
provision of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
SFs arrested four top militant
belonging to GNLA, identified as Tengrile Sangma, Teran Sangma,
Mukhar G Areng and Paul Ektaus Momin, from kiling area. SP Apurba
Jibon Baruah verified that GNLA was behind the abduction of one
Dinesh Sarma of Beltola, from a coal depot in Pllingkata on March
2.
-
March 8: SFs arrested an 'area
commander' of the GNLA from Nine Mile area in Guwahati along Assam-Meghalaya
border. The GNLA militant was identified as Rinphu Sangma who is
the 'area commander' of GNLA based in Mendipathar area in Garo Hills.
SFs recovered one pistol with live ammunition, three mobile handsets
with SIM cards and INR 57,000 in cash. Two linkmen and two drivers
were also with the GNLA cadre during the time of his arrest by Assam
Police.
-
March 7: The Meghalaya State Police
warned those businessmen who are extending financial or logistic
support to militants outfit GNLA. A senior Police Official on condition
of anonymity said anyone extending financial support to the banned
outfit is liable to be booked under various sections of the Unlawful
Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). "It does not matter whether
they are extending financial support under pressure or out of their
own will they are liable to be booked under UAPA," the Police Official
said. Stating that anyone who receives demand note from the outfit
can inform Police, he said, adding, "I assure that their identity
would be kept secret. We will provide them security cover." Replying
to a query, he said police have information about several businessmen
"who are paying to the outfit." "In fact, we are investigating the
matter," the official added.
-
March 4: Suspected GNLA cadres
reportedly barged into the house of former Assembly Speaker Martin
M Danggo at Munai village, about 3 kilometres from Ranikor, in West
Khasi Hills with the intention of serving a demand note. According
to sources, four suspected GNLA cadres, dressed in camouflage and
wielding AK-47 rifles entered the house of the legislator. Danggo
was not present in the house at the time. "Failing to meet Danggo,
the cadres gave three Bangladeshi mobile numbers to Danggo's sister-in-law
and directed her to ask him (Danggo) to call them," sources said.
It was also learnt that the GNLA cadres threatened to attack the
house if the former Assembly Speaker failed to call them back.
-
March 3: Two businessmen identified
as Mohammad Jubar Ali and Amit Rabha hailing from Assam were abducted
by suspected GNLA cadres from a market area at Jangrapara close
to Tikrikilla under Dadenggiri Civil Sub-Division in West Garo Hills.
According to Police, several armed GNLA cadres came to the bazaar
at Jangrapara and first fired in the air five rounds at around 10
am before abducting them.
Police arrested a GNLA cadre identified
as Julius N Marak from the Goreng coal mine in Shallang in West
Khasi Hills District. A crude bomb was recovered from his possession.
Police informed that a group of nine GNLA cadres led by Savio Marak
'area commander' of Khasi Hills entered the coal-rich area of Shallang
with an aim to abduct some coal traders of the area. However, the
GNLA cadres were spotted by the Police who were present in the area.
The Police team, however, did not fire on the militants as several
coal labourers were working in the coal mine. Taking advantage,
the militants fled from the scene even as SFs managed to arrest
Julius who was hiding in a coal quarry. He was taken to Shallang
Police Station where he confessed that he was a GNLA cadre and was
involved in many acts of crime.
Police arrested Beka M Sangma, Wilip
Sangma and Walsang M Sangma, who was involved in dacoity and extortion
in the name of the GNLA. Police informed that the trio used hand-made
guns to run their extortion business.
-
March 2: Police neutralized a GNLA
hideout, wherein 100 powerful detonators used for triggering IED
blasts were kept, near Kharkutta in East Garo Hills District. Police
teams were conducting a search operation of Arengdo village, near
Kharkutta at 6:30am when they spotted the GNLA camp outside the
village. Before the Police could move in, the GNLA militants, in
a group of six to eight, fired heavily on the teams and the encounter
lasted for 30 long minutes. The militants escaped leaving behind
the powerful detonators, a pistol and a large number of demand notes
of the GNLA.
-
March 1: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma
asked the youths of the State to keep their distance from the GNLA
who is luring the youths by their false propaganda, even as he reiterated
his Government's commitment to neutralize all insurgent activities
in the State. Sangma said that the outfit was carrying its criminal
activities in the name of a separate State which cannot be justified
at all.
-
February 29: Six armed GNLA militants
set ablaze their former colleague Sengrim G Momin alias Waljan's
house at Dila Kamagre in Mendipather town of East Garo Hills District.
SFs arrested a Bangladeshi linkman
of ULFA and GNLA in West Garo Hills District. SFs recovered one
cellphone along with Bangladesh SIM card from his possession. During
interrogation, Marak revealed that he was staying in Samalchura
area in Bangladesh's Sherpur District and that he has been working
for ULFA for the last 10 years and got involved with GNLA in 2011.
Three GNLA cadres, identified as
Sanju Momin, Moti Marak and Jales R. Marak, were arrested by the
Army at Dainadubi on the Assam-Meghalaya border. Officials recovered
one AK-47 rifle, two barrel gun along with four rounds of live cartridges,
one lamination machine, many fake vehicle documents and keys and
many mobile handsets from their possession.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram,
who had threatened tough action against the GNLA during his recent
visit to Meghalaya, said that they are a 'tough nut to crack'.
-
February 28: A Sub-Divisional Police
Officer of Ampati, Sacheng R Marak, narrowly survived an ambush
laid by heavily-armed GNLA militants near Machangpani close to Dalu
in West Garo Hills District. Marak was travelling to Dalu for an
inspection when the incident took place. When his convoy was passing
through Rangapara area, 13 kilometres beyond Kherapara on the road
to Dalu border town, as many as 12 well-armed GNLA militants, hiding
inside a forest on the right side of the road, opened automatic
fire from AK rifles. The vehicle sustained three bullet holes but
the officer escaped unharmed. The Police retaliated and forced the
militants to escape into the thick jungle.
-
Police arrested a GNLA cadre identified
as Julius N Marak from the Goreng coal mine in Shallang in West
Khasi Hills District. A crude bomb was recovered from his possession.
Police informed that a group of nine GNLA cadres led by Savio Marak
'area commander' of Khasi Hills entered the coal-rich area of Shallang
with an aim to abduct some coal traders of the area. However, the
GNLA cadres were spotted by the Police who were present in the area.
The Police team, however, did not fire on the militants as several
coal labourers were working in the coal mine. Taking advantage,
the militants fled from the scene even as SFs managed to arrest
Julius who was hiding in a coal quarry. He was taken to Shallang
Police Station where he confessed that he was a GNLA cadre and was
involved in many acts of crime.
-
February 26: Suspected militants
of the GNLA barged into the house of a retired Police constable,
identified as Warnath S Sangma, and shot him dead. A group of heavily-armed
militants numbering between six to ten entered Bansam Awe village,
across the Simsang River near Samanda in East Garo Hills and dragged
out the retired Police constable before opening fire on him. The
militants accused him of being a Police informer before killing
him despite his strong denials. Addition Director General of Police
(law and order) Rajeev Mehta said, "The GNLA suspected that Warnath
was responsible for the Police attack on their hideout at a hill
top at Bansambagre near Samanda block on February 21".
CM Mukul Sangma has ruled out political
talks with the GNLA saying "the outfit has to lay down arms and
join the mainstream". The CM expressed his concern over the acts
of crime being perpetrated by the GNLA and made it clear that his
Government would not hold any talks with the militant outfit unless
they stop their criminal activities.
-
February 24: Suspected GNLA militants
blasted an IED in an unsuccessful attempt to blow up a Police vehicle
packed with personnel in remote Siju area of South Garo Hills. The
militants planted a powerful IED on the side of a road at between
Jadigittim and Siju area and detonated the bomb just as a Police
gypsy was passing through. The explosion ripped open the side of
the road but missed hitting the passing vehicle. A search of the
area later revealed a long line of detonation wires and pellets
used for packing the explosive."It was handiwork of GNLA commander
Rakkam" said Police from Baghmara.
-
February 23: Two GNLA cadres identified
as Jiten Marak and Daljing Marak surrendered before West Garo Hills
superintendent of Police Ricky Dkhar in Tura. Two hand grenades
were also deposited by the cadres. Police said Jiten and Daljing
had joined the GNLA about six months ago. Sources claimed that the
duo decided to surrender following intense operations launched by
the Police, along with CoBRA commandos, to flush out militants from
Garo hills.
-
February 21: A Police team came
under attack from the GNLA, led by the outfit's 'commander-in-chief'
Sohan Shira at a forest area in Samanda in the East Garo Hills on
February 21. According to the Police, the encounter took place when
the Meghalaya Police team along with CRPF personnel was advancing
towards the forest area at Samanda after getting information that
more than 10 GNLA militants were holed up in a hideout in the forest.
The Police said though encounter lasted for half an hour, no one
was injured.
Police have traced a case of misuse
of SIM cards by the GNLA and identified the people who had issued
the cards. The Police said based on information received from West
Garo Hills superintendent of Police R. Dkhar, additional superintendent
of Police (crime) Vivek Syiem had lodged a complaint that GNLA cadres
were using two SIM cards procured from Shillong. A Police inquiry
revealed that T.N. Singh, the owner of a computer centre at Mawpat
had issued two SIM cards to two persons, Biswajit Mandal and U.
Khan, without properly verifying their antecedents. The Police have
arrested Singh and are verifying whether the names of the buyers
are fictitious. It is also probing the black marketing of SIM cards.
The GNLA has resorted to large scale procurement of SIM cards in
fictitious names for sending extortion messages.
-
February 20: SFs killed two-suspected
GNLA militants under Lakhipur Police Station in Goalpara District.
Two pistols were recovered from their possession.
-
February 19: Taking a hardened stand
against the activities of the GNLA, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram
ruled out any talks with the outfit even as he reiterated the Union
Government's determination to root out insurgency from Garo Hills.
Chidambaram, who was on a one-day visit to Shillong on February
19 to review the law and order situation in the State, asserted
that the Government would not engage itself in any talks with the
GNLA until the outfit shunned the path of violence. "GNLA has been
declared a terrorist organisation. There won't be any talks with
them but they have to abjure violence and give up arms," Chidambaram
said.
-
February 16: Mendipather Police
recovered a bullet-riddled body of a man, identified as John Ch
Marak from a road between Resubelpara and Gajing in East Garo Hills
District, along with a note left by the GNLA which took responsibility
for the killing, accusing the deceased of extorting money in its
name and raping minor girls. SFs recovered three live rounds of
AK-47 ammunitions indicating that the person may have been shot
dead by the Russian-made assault rifle.
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram
will visit Meghalaya on February 19 to review the law and order
situation including the rising GNLA activities in the State. This
was informed to Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary who met the Home
Minister on February 16.
-
February 14: Former Home Secretary
GK Pillai said that the Union Government may not accede to GNLA
demand for separate state for tribal Garo in western part of Meghalaya.
"The Centre has not acceded to creation of Telangana, Gorkhaland
and Bodoland. Therefore, I don't think the government will give
in to their (GNLA) demand for separate Garoland," Pillai said.
Indigenous Citizens Forum of Simsanggre
(ICFS) General Secretary Arun N Marak has filed a FIR with the Police
claiming that he has received a call from one person demanding money
from him. In the FIR, Marak stated that one Letin M Sangma called
him asking him to pay INR 500,000. "When I refused to pay the amount,
the caller asked me if I was not scared of GNLA," Marak stated,
while adding that the caller threatened him of dire consequences
if he did not pay the money.
-
February 12: Surrendered GNLA cadres
are on the run fearing fratricidal killings by the outfit. While
some cadres are shifting base to the houses of relatives, others
are being accommodated in Police Stations temporarily. The constant
attempts by the outfit to attack their surrendered colleagues at
the behest of 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D. Shira is a cause of
worry for Meghalaya Police, who are currently trying to neutralise
the GNLA. GNLA militants had recently torched the houses of two
surrendered militants; the first incident was reported from South
Garo Hills and the other from East Garo Hills. The outfit had asked
the surrendered cadres to refund the money for the weapons they
had run away with.
-
February 9: SFs shot dead a GNLA
cadre and injured five others in an encounter in East Garo Hills
District. The slain GNLA cadre is yet to be identified. According
to Police, after getting information that GNLA militants numbering
around six were camping in a hideout in a forest area near Megra
village, nearly 10 kilometres from Songsak Police station, a Police
team approached the area. Sensing trouble, the militants fired at
the Police team, compelling the Police to retaliate resulting in
the death of a GNLA cadre. The Police suspect that the remaining
five GNLA militants, who escaped, were injured in the encounter.
A grenade and a pistol were recovered from the hideout.
A tribal chief, TR Marak, was arrested
in Meghalaya on the charge of aiding and providing shelter to some
cadres of GNLA in Garo Hills area. He was arrested under Unlawful
Activities (Prevention) Act as the Centre had declared the group
as a terrorist outfit. The arrest was made following seizure of
documents and medicines from an abandoned camp of the outfit, Police
said.
-
February 8: In an act of vengeance,
GNLA militants set ablaze the house of a surrendered cadre, Andreash
Ch Momin alias Nangnang at Bokkingre village, 2 kilometres
from Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District.The GNLA militants
also chased away the family members of the former cadre to Goraggre
village in West Garo Hills. Sources informed that the GNLA had issued
a two-week deadline to Nangnang to refund the money for the weapons
he had deposited to the East Garo Hills Police during his surrender
in August 2011. Nangnang was a senior cadre of the militant group
and was recruited at an early stage of the outfit.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma asked
the GNLA to lay down arms, but continue its struggle through peaceful
means. "I urge upon all our misguided friends (GNLA) to embark on
the various opportunities created by this Government which would
contribute to the progress of development of our state," Sangma
said.
-
February 7: Hari Chetri, a coal
labourer, who was abducted by some miscreants from a coal quarry
at Borsora in West Khasi Hills District on February 2, was released
in the night. Police said that Chetri had been abducted by a four-member
local group, and was released after his family members paid the
ransom money demanded by the abductors. West Khasi Hills Superintendent
of Police, R Muthu, informed that the abductors were not militants
but some local goons. The abductors were earlier suspected to be
GNLA militants.
The State Police was engaged in
a gun battle with GNLA militants at the outskirts of Napha Apal
in East Garo Hills while conducting an operation. "Six militants
managed to escape but police recovered one grenade, six empty cases
of AK 47 rifles and several demands notes from the spot," the sources
informed while adding that no one was injured in the encounter.
GNLA said that it wants talks on
a separate State for the Garos only with New Delhi and not the Meghalaya
Government. If the talks failed, it would make the outfit raise
the issue in the United Nations Indigenous Peoples Forum in New
York. The outfit has reacted sharply to Meghalaya Home Minister
HDR Lyngdoh's press statement in Shillong on February 6 wherein
he had announced the Government's decision not to hold talks with
the GNLA. The political secretary of the GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang Marak,
called up media persons to strongly criticise Lyngdoh's statement.
UDP president and former State chief
minister, Donkupar Roy, called upon the State Government to explore
all the possible means for restoring peace including calling the
GNLA for talks.
-
February 6: Taking a tough posture
against the GNLA, the State Government has decided to go all out
to neutralize the banned outfit. State Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh
said, "The government has no intention to hold talks with the banned
Garo militant oufit." "Legally, the government cannot negotiate
with any banned outfit and if they don't lay down arms, there will
be no other option but to carry out operations to neutralise them,"
Lyngdoh added.
GNLA militants fired in the air
near Sangsak Police Station in East Garo Hills.
-
February 4: The GNLA killed a 60-year-old
villager from South Garo Hills, identified as Edward Sangma of Rompha
Asim village. The bullet-riddled body was recovered from Mendikgere,
2 kilometres from his village. A note found beside the body claimed
that he had been eliminated for being a Police informer.
-
February 4: Two engineers, identified
as Apus Pothmi and Bonnieface Majaw, were abducted by GNLA from
West Garo Hills on January 24, were released. According to Police,
the GNLA was under pressure from NGOs and the public as well as
from the Security Forces who had intensified operations to rescue
the officials. Police had earlier said that there was no ransom
sought for the release of the officials. Police believe that the
GNLA released the officials unharmed due to the protest and condemnation
from various quarters.
SFs arrested two GNLA militants
following an encounter in Goalpara District on January 4. One .9-mm
pistol, a magazine, 135 live rounds of AK-47 assault rifle ammunition,
two grenades and INR 300000 recovered from the possession of the
arrested militants.
-
February 3: Growing ties between
the ULFA-ATF and GNLA have become matter of serious concern for
the Government of Meghalaya as well as for the Security agencies.
Highly placed Police sources said that ULFA-ATF has been providing
help to the GNLA for its own benefits. Senior member of the ULFA-ATF,
Drishti Rajkhowa is now believed to be in the hideouts of the GNLA
in the jungles of Garo Hills. Rajkhowa also visits Bangladesh from
time to time by taking advantage of the porous international border,
but after the crackdown launched by the Government of Bangladesh;
he started staying mostly in Garo Hills. Sources said that the ULFA-ATF
is helping the GNLA mainly to keep a corridor open for going to
the hideouts in Bangladesh. The ULFA-ATF had earlier extended help
to the ANVC but after the outfit came over ground, the ULFA-ATF
started helping the GNLA.
-
February 2: Suspected GNLA militants
abducted a coal merchant, identified as H Chetri, from Borosora
area of West Khasi Hills District. According to Police, the militants
abducted the coal trader at gun point and subsequently took him
to a nearby forest. Police suspect that the trader was abducted
for ransom.
The ANVC has appreciated the Central
Government's move branding the GNLA as a terrorist outfit.
Large patches of unfenced border
with Bangladesh in Meghalaya are still encouraging movement of militants
and there is urgent need for expediting the work of completing the
fencing to check the menace. Highly placed Police sources in Meghalaya
said that less than half of the total length of the international
border with Bangladesh in the State is still unfenced and the Government
of Meghalaya is yet to give clearance for construction of fencing
in a stretch of 135 kilometres. Sources said that the militants
belonging to the GNLA are still taking advantage of the unfenced
border to move to their hideouts in Bangladesh. Though the Government
of Bangladesh has been taking action against the militants staying
in that country, the GNLA is still maintaining its bases in the
neighboring country.
-
February 1: Talking to media persons,
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma that the demand for Garo land cannot
come from a bunch of people under the banner of GNLA. "We will examine
the matter when the whole community demands for a separate Garoland,"
Sangma added.
The UAPF, an umbrella body of several
civil society organisations including the Church, asked the Meghalaya
Government to give them the mandate to initiate peace talks with
the GNLA before the situation goes out of hand. The forum, which
was formed in 2011 to play a constructive role to end the bloodshed
in Garo hills, had met Mukul Sangma expressing its desire to play
a constructive role in ensuring lasting peace.
-
January 31: The Union Government
declared the GNLA, a terrorist outfit under the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act. "The government has approved and declared GNLA
a terrorist due to its growing terror activities in certain parts
of Meghalaya," Shambu Singh, Joint Secretary in-charge of the Northeast
in the Union Home Ministry, said.
-
January 30: The claim made by the
GNLA of having killed a villager for being a Police informer has
been found to be true with the recovery of the decomposed body of
the victim, Songchi Ch Sangma. The body was recovered after a Police
team conducted a search operation inside a jungle near Danga Natong
village in Zikzak area of West Garo Hills. GNLA 'area commander'
of Ampati, Rahul R Marak on January 28 had called up the office
of a Garo daily Salantini Janera and claimed that the outfit
had executed a villager on January 27 as he was a Police informer.
Police have, however, refuted that Songchi was an informant.
Chief Secretary WMS Pariat assured
that the two MECL officials who had been abducted by the GNLA on
January 24 were safe. While refusing to divulge details about the
steps being taken by the Government for the safe release of the
two abducted officials, the Chief Secretary only said, "All necessary
steps are being taken." Pariat also stated that there has not been
any demand of ransom by the outfit so far.
Following the demand of GNLA to
withdraw Security Forces from Garo Hills region, the Meghalaya Government
said it was working on a strategy to deal with them. "We are working
on a strategy to deal with the militants and the government will
take a re-look into deployment of security forces (in three Garo
Hills Districts)," Chief Secretary W M S Pariat said. SWAT team
of the State Police and the CoBRA of the CRPF are on operation to
secure release of two power department engineers abducted by the
GNLA on January 24. Meanwhile, the GNLA has warned all its cadres
not to surrender before the Police.
SFs arrested three persons, including
two women, along with arms at Duncan Basti area of Dimapur District.
The arrestees have been identified as Imtiyanger, Lanutola and Mharhoni
Kithan. Police said that the arms were meant for sale to GNLA cadres,
a Meghalaya based militant outfit.
-
January 29: A GNLA cadre identified
as Waljan Ch Momin alias Sengrim hailing from Dilma Apal
of East Garo Hills District, surrendered before SDPO at Mendipathar
Police Station in the District.
The HNLC and GNLA, of Meghalaya
are shifting their bases in Bangladesh towards the Tripura border.
-
January 28: Suspected GNLA militants
set ablaze the house of a surrendered GNLA cadre, identified as
Sonaram R Sangma, at Darangdura in South Garo Hills District. However,
Sonaram was not present in the house when the incident took place.
-
January 27: SFs acting on specific
intelligence inputs about the presence of GNLA, 'Commander-in-Chief'
Sohan D Shira, at a camp located in Rongri, three kilometres away
from Nengmendalgre village of East Garo Hills District in Meghalaya,
raided the area. But due to the presence of Sohan D Shira's wife
and children, SFs did not open fire.
The GNLA claimed to have killed
a villager in Zikzak area of West Garo Hills for allegedly colluding
with Police and working against the outfit. The GNLA area commander
Ampati Rahul claimed, "We executed a villager from the village yesterday
(January 27) because he was the main Police informer operating against
us for so long." The militant outfit questioned the Meghalaya Police
over its tactics of using villagers to work for them in lieu of
compensation which is never paid to them.
Setting conditions to free two abducted
Government engineers, the GNLA demanded a "convincing reply" from
the Meghalaya Government in seven days on the "poor power connectivity"
in the three impoverished Districts of Garo Hills. Heavily armed
GNLA rebels on January 23, 2012 abducted three Meghalaya Energy
Corporation Limited (MECL) engineers - Apus Pothmi, Boney Majaw
and Marshal R Swer at gunpoint from their residential quarters in
the Rongkhon area. Swer was later released unharmed.
-
January 25: The ANVC has warned
that its cadres would be forced to break the ceasefire agreement
and take up arms to protect themselves if the GNLA continued to
target its cadres. Taking strong cognizance of the GNLA's bid to
kill three ANVC cadres, its spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said,
"Situation will be worsened if the GNLA continues to target our
cadres." A group of around 15 armed GNLA cadres had made a failed
attempt to kill three ANVC at Soksan village under Mendipathar Police
station in East Garo Hills on January 24. Marak also urged the State
Government to provide security to the ANVC cadres who are currently
under ceasefire agreement.
-
January 24: A group of GNLA militants
assaulted a villager and fired several rounds in the air in Mendipathar
in East Garo Hills after a failed attempt to kill three ANVC cadres
and their families. Police said a group of 15 armed GNLA militants
came in search of the ANVC cadres - Dion G. Momin, Jangsan Momin
and Milseng Momin, at their residences at Soksan village under Mendipathar
Police station. After finding that the cadres and the families had
already been moved out, the GNLA cadres fired several rounds in
the air and also assaulted a villager, Sengrik Sangma, alleging
that he was a Police informer. The militants left after warning
the villagers. The motive behind the incident is yet to be known,
but according to the police, the terror tactic may be because of
suspicion that the ANVC cadres were helping the police to track
down the GNLA militants. Another reason could be to establish supremacy
in Garo hills.
Suspected GNLA militants entered
the Meghalaya Energy Corporation limited (MeECL) complex at Rongkhon
in West Garo Hills and abducted three engineers. They later released
one of them identified as Marshal Swer. The two engineers who remain
in custody of the militant group have been identified as Apus Pothmi
and Boney Majaw.
-
January 19: Group of seven GNLA
cadres armed with AK-47 rifles and SLR rifles shot dead two gate-keeper
of Songsak village, West Khasi Hills District. The two gate-keepers
are identified as Arbinius D Sangma and Bahkan G Marak, both residents
of Songsak village. The State Police have launched a massive manhunt
to arrest the gunmen involved in the killing. The Police said the
killings were related to extortion money demanded by the GNLA earlier
and also to create fear psychosis among the people, particularly
the coal businessmen of the area. Sources informed that the GNLA
had earlier demanded an amount of INR 2 million from the Songsak
Mahari toll gate in West Khasi Hills District. The killing comes
barely ten days after Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh, during his visit
to Shallang Police outpost, had promised the local people that the
outpost would soon be upgraded into a full-fledged Police Station
to provide full security to the coal traders and residents of the
area.
-
January 16: Two Garo youths, identified
as Pak Momin and Engti Marak, were shot dead by GNLA, suspecting
them to be Police informers. According to Police, the two youth
hailing from Konchikol village were killed near their homes under
Resubelpara Sub-Division in East Garo Hills District.
-
January 9: Shambhu Singh, Joint
Secretary (North East) of the MHA, said that the MHA has already
taken a decision that a major crackdown should be launched to check
the menace of extortion. Singh added that the MHA's views would
be formally communicated to the State Government shortly. Singh
said that according to information available with the MHA, rampant
extortions are going on in areas like Kokrajhar, Udalguri, Baksa,
Darrang, Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong etc. He said that the Anti-Talks
faction of the ULFA-ATF has been trying to launch extortion drive
in upper Assam Districts, but the outfit has not been successful
because of operations by Police and Security Forces and also because
of the fact that the outfit now does not have the strength like
the past. He said that the Government is aware of the fact that
ULFA-ATF leader Paresh Baruah, who stays mostly in Myanmar and China,
has been calling up people demanding money and one person who received
a call from the ULFA leader in Dibrugarh formally informed the Government.
On the overall law and order situation in the North East region,
Singh said that the though the situation in Assam has improved,
"things are yet to stabilize" and that is why the tenure of the
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was extended for another year.
The Government of Assam also wanted extension of the AFSA.
Singh admitted that the situation
in Manipur is still bad. He said that though the GNLA is on rampage
in Meghalaya, the recent operations yielded results, while, the
inter-factional clashes resulted in deterioration of the situation
in Nagaland.
On the activities of the CPI-Maoist
groups, Singh said that the death of senior CPI-Maoist leader Mallojula
Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji must have affected the move of the
Maoists to establish stronghold in the region. He said that according
to information available with the Government, Kishanji visited Assam
and Manipur just before his death in West Bengal.
-
January 8: Based on GNLA militant,
Sonaram R Sangma alias Chonkam Chonkam's information SFs recovered
one AK-47 along with 150 rounds of live ammunition, which were hidden
in a jungle in West Garo Hills District.
-
January 7: One GNLA militant, identified
as Sonaram R Sangma alias Chonkam, surrendered before South Garo
Hills SP M K Singh.
-
January 5: SFs arrested two GNLA
linkmen, identified as, Babul Marak (36) and Vijay Sangma (28),
along the Indo-Bangladesh border in South Garo Hills District. SFs
recovered INR 3,800 in cash, a mobile phone with a Bangladesh SIM
card and BDT 80 from them.
-
January 3: Suspected GNLA militants
threw a grenade at a house adjacent to the check gate of the Directorate
of Mineral Resources in Athiabari in West Khasi Hills District.
However, the grenade failed to explode.
-
January 1: Meghalaya Police in West
Khasi Hills District are intensifying operations against militants
and dacoit groups who have unleashed a reign of terror by serving
demand notes to coal traders. Source said after the onset of the
coal trading season in October-November, groups like the GNLA have
been making hefty monetary demands from traders in places like Borsora
and Shahlang. Such extortion has ingrained a deep sense of insecurity
not only among the coal traders but also among labourers. Allegedly,
the rampant extortion demands range anything between INR 50,000
and INR 500,000. Such demands also had forced many labourers to
flee from their camps in places like Shahlang.
2011
-
December 24: The GNLA released P.K.
Boro, the BDO of Dadenggre, West Garo Hills, a month after his abduction.
-
December 23: SFs arrested three
GNLA militants, identified as Rakim G Momon alias Bong, Sengrang
G Momin and Namseng B Marak, while they were extorting money from
Jangjal market in West Garo Hills District.
-
December 21: Suspected GNLA militants
abducted a brick kiln owner, Munna Khan, while he was inspecting
a brick factory at Khardang around 1 km away from Mendipathar in
East Garo Hills District.
-
December 20: Suspected GNLA militants
opened fire at a Police truck and a Maruti Gypsy carrying firewood
for the fifth Meghalaya Police battalion near Rongrengre Reserve
Forest in East Garo Hills District on December 20, injuring four
Police personnel.
SFs rescued one Biren Marak, a coal
trader, from suspected GNLA cadres at Gambigre forest in West Garo
hills District.
-
December 18: SFs on killed two militants
of the GNLA and arrested one sympathizer, identified as Krinson
N Marak, in Darimgre forests near Williamnagar, of East Garo Hills
District.
-
December 17: SFs arrested a GNLA
militant identified as Tizo Marak from Seven-Kilo area near Shallang
in West Khasi Hills District.
-
December 16: 17-suspected GNLA militants
allegedly stopped and checked vehicles passing by in case there
were any Police personnel, at NH 51 in Rari in West Garo Hills.
-
December 8: Suspected militants
killed the manager of a coal quarry, identified as Deep Roy, at
Rajaju near Borsora in West Khasi Hills District on December 8.
Police said it was difficult to point out whether GNLA militants
were involved in the killing. However, the GNLA is active in all
three Garo Hills District and are currently expanding their base
to coal belts in West Khasi Hills.
Following the reported arrest of
GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma in Bangladesh, Police have stepped
up hunt for 'commander-in-chief' of the outfit, Sohan D. Shira,
to neutralise it once and for all. It is Shira who often interacted
with the outfit's cadres operating from makeshift camps in Garo
hills. Shira also keeps in touch with arms dealers of the region
to purchase arms and ammunition for the outfit. A senior Police
official said the GNLA could be neutralised only if the Police could
arrest or eliminate Shira, as Sangma did not have much say in the
operational matters of the outfit.
-
December 6: The GNLA cadres are
intimidating the ANVC members in Williamnagar East Garo Hills under
the order of their 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D. Shira. The ANVC
is under ceasefire since 2004 and its leaders wanted the Government
to take note of the frequent threats to the outfit's cadres in Garo
hills.
-
December 4: Meghalaya Chief Minister
Mukul Sangma said that the Government will not withdraw operations
against the GNLA, rather would go all out to neutralize the militant
outfit headed by Champion R Sangma, who is now reportedly detained
by authorities in Bangladesh.
After the GNLA accused the ANVC
of killing and terrorizing people, the latter has reiterated its
desire to work with the State Government to neutralize the GNLA.
In a statement, ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said, "If
needed ANVC will work with the Government to wipe out GNLA."
-
December 2: Shambu Singh, Joint
Secretary (North East) in the Ministry of MHA, said that the decision
for banning the GNLA will be taken "in a day or two".
He added that the Centre does not require the recommendations of
the State Government to declare the GNLA as a proscribed outfit.
However, the Meghalaya Government had submitted a detailed report
about the activities of the outfit to the MHA.
-
December 1: Suspected GNLA militants
sprayed bullets at the home of a Police constable in Rimrangpara
village near Kherapara in West Garo Hills District in the night
injuring the Policeman and his five-year-old daughter. The
Police constable is posted with the Shillong district executive
force and was on leave. The attack is said to have been planned
and carried out by GNLA ‘area commander’ Baichung Momin.
-
November 30: The GNLA has released
the two Assam-based traders who were abducted from Kalchengpara
village near Selsella in West Garo Hills District on November 21.
The two traders denied paying ransom to the outfit but Police sources
indicate that money to the tune of INR 300,000 may have been paid
by the families for their safe release.
The BDO of Dadenggre, PK Boro, who
was abducted by different members of the same outfit from his office
chamber remains untraced. The GNLA has been insisting that special
commando units, SWAT from the Meghalaya Police and CoBRA units of
CRPF and the BSF must return to their bases if the Government wishes
to see the return of PK Boro. The deadline given by the outfit for
withdrawal of all operations ends on December 2.
-
November 29: The ANVC urged the
coal exporters of Garo Hills to immediately stop exporting coal
to neighbouring Bangladesh. The appeal comes in wake of unconfirmed
reports that the GNLA ‘chairman’ Champion Sangma has been detained
in Bangladesh and he is presently under the custody of Bangladeshi
authorities. Speaking to The Shillong Times, ANVC spokesperson
Torik Jangnnign Marak said that the coal traders should immediately
stop exporting coal to Bangladesh so that Bangladesh Government
will come under pressure and hand over Champion Sangma to India.
-
November 30: Chief Minister Mukul
Sangma hinted that the GNLA has a nexus with some politicians and
political parties. “We cannot rule out the possibility of GNLA having
a political nexus. But we cannot say that the outfit belongs to
any particular party,” Sangma said.
A public rally that was to take
place at Dadenggre market in West Garo Hills District was cancelled
at the last minute over alleged threat by GNLA militants. Local
NGOs of Dadenggre along with Self-Help Groups, church elders and
villagers had planned to hold a mass rally to appeal for the safe
and unconditional release of the Dadenggre BDO, PK Boro who had
been abducted by GNLA militants on November 21.
-
November 25: ‘Political affairs
secretary’ of the GNLA said that his outfit has no information on
the whereabouts of the group’s ‘chairman’ Champion Sangma, who was
reportedly arrested in Bangladesh on November 24. “We cannot confirm
his arrest by Bangladesh forces because we have no information on
that front,” claimed the political affairs secretary. He also said
that his outfit has no links with an arms dealer who was arrested
in Shillong on November 23.
-
November 24: The GNLA cadres who
had surrendered have so far not been provided any rehabilitation
package. Two of the surrendered GNLA militants on November 23 said,
“We were promised a job and a sum of Rs 2 lakh [INR 200,000] but
nothing has been given to us till date.”
Unconfirmed reports say that the
‘chairman’ of the GNLA Champion R Sangma is arrested by Bangladesh
Police and RAB from a locality in Haluaghat in Mymensing town in
Bangladesh.
-
November 23: The State Police arrested
a top GNLA militant, Jackiush A Sangma, and five others including
three arms dealers from different parts of Shillong. A Sangma is
said to be a close aide of GNLA ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D Shira.
The two other militants are identified as Bappun A Sangma and Harding
M Marak. Police also recovered INR 1.19 million from their possession.
-
November 21: Suspected GNLA militants
abducted two non-tribal businessmen and the BDO of Dadenggre civil
subdivision, Prafulla Kumar Boro, in West Garo Hills District on
November 21. Boro was abducted from his office while the two traders,
identified as Dulal Modak and Rokybul Haque were abducted from Kalchengpara
weekly market, four kilometres from Selsella, in the District few
hours before the abduction of Boro. Meghalaya IGP G. H. P. Raju
said the prime suspects in the abduction of Boro were the GNLA ‘army
chief’ Sohan D Shira and his ‘area commande’ Chekan P Marak.
The GNLA revealed that it carried
out the abduction of Block Development Officer (BDO) of Dadenggre
ostensibly to give a message to the Meghalaya Government over its
proposal to ban the outfit. ‘Political Affairs Secretary’ of GNLA,
Bikdot Nikjang Marak, issued a statement to select media houses
to claim that the abduction was undertaken in anger against the
State Government’s repeated attempts to ban the outfit by putting
trumped up charges against it to the Central Government. “This decision
to target government officials is part of our ten resolutions charter
that was agreed upon by our military council led by army chief Sohan
D Shira and endorsed by chairman Pakchara (Champion),” said the
GNLA political affairs leader.
-
November 17: Director General of
Police N Ramachandran said that the GNLA is handled by Pakistan’s
ISI. Ramachandran said, “We have information that the money collected
through extortion is siphoned off by the ISI through the GNLA for
purchase of arms and it is a well-known fact that the ISI is in
touch with various insurgent outfits of the North East to foment
trouble in the region”. On whether State plans to call in the Army
to contain the militants activities in Garo Hills region, Ramachandran
said, “We don’t need the Army.”
-
November 13: BSF personnel recovered
arms, ammunition and demand notes by suspected cadres of the GNLA
from around Badambari border outpost in South Garo Hills. Recovered
items include a pistol, a magazine, two rounds of ammunition, two-metre
safety fuse and four blank demand notes of the GNLA.
-
November 10: Former Meghalaya Deputy
Superintendent of Police and now ‘chairman’ of the GNLA, Champion
R. Sangma welcomed the fresh arrest warrant issued against him in
connection with an alleged assault case and expressed his full faith
in the law. The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court on November
8 issued a fresh arrest warrant against Champion R. Sangma in connection
with an assault case of 2009 where Sangma allegedly slapped a prominent
city businessman when he was serving as a Deputy Superintendent
of Police.
-
November 7: The BSF arrested one
suspected GNLA over ground worker, identified as Samsual Islam,
from West Garo Hills. They recovered six demand notes signed by
GNLA ‘area commander’ Karak Momin.
-
November 3: Leader of the Opposition,
Conrad Sangma asked the Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma to immediately
hold a meeting of the security commission as the Garo Hills ‘situation
was going out of hand.’ In his letter to the Chief Minister, Sangma
said, the security commission meeting is long overdue and it should
be held to discuss the worsening law-and-order situation in Garo
Hills. He also said that fear psychosis has gripped Garo Hills as
even MLAs are threatened and getting extortion notes from the GNLA.
The United Christians Peace Forum
of Garo hills stressed the need to maintain peace in the region.
The forum was formed this year primarily to make efforts to maintain
peace and harmony in Garo hills. In a statement, the secretary of
the forum, Manhseng A. Momin said, keeping in view the rise in militant
activities resulting in the deaths of innocent lives, the Government
should work out a lasting and peaceful solution to various problems
confronting Garo hills.
-
November 1: To crack down on the
GNLA, which gunned down four Police personnel and a civilian on
October 31, the State Police have further intensified operations
in certain areas of Garo Hills.
GNLA militants abducted two bamboo
traders from Assam, identified as Amir Hussain and Nor Islam, from
a village in East Garo Hills. The Police suspect they were abducted
for ransom. The matter came to light only on November 7.
-
October 31: 12 to 15 heavily armed
GNLA militants ambushed a Police patrol at sides at Nengpatchi village,
4 kilometers from Dobu towards Darugre Police station of Rongjeng
in East Garo Hills District killing four Policemen and a civilian
driver before decamping with five automatic rifles. Two other Police
personnel survived the attack with bullet injuries. The deceased
policemen are identified as N R Marak, Probinson Sangma, Victor
Marak and E Sangma. Two Police personnel who survived the attack
have been identified as Peter Sangma and D Sangma. The driver is
yet to be identified. Six Policemen were travelling on a private
vehicle on patrol duty when they came under attack. The militant
group was allegedly led by GNLA ‘central area commander’ Rakkam
Marak and former Police constable Savio Ch Marak, the ‘area commander’
of West Khasi Hills.
The Centre has sought the opinion
of the Meghalaya government as to whether GNLA should be declared
a “proscribed outfit”.
The State Government will announce
a compensation package to rehabilitate the surrendered GNLA cadres
soon. “The compensation package is under examination of the Political
department,” Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh said.
-
October 28: In the wake of heightened
activities by the GNLA, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that the
Government, in its bid to curb militancy in the State, has now planned
to come up with certain flagship programmes and schemes aimed at
preventing the youth of the State from joining insurgent groups.
-
October 26: The GNLA released unharmed
the abducted Meghalaya school teacher, Kalu Mishra at Dabasipara
village in South Garo Hills District who was abducted on October
17. The teacher was freed after an amount of INR 200, 000 was paid
to the GNLA.
Resentment is brewing among the
surrendered cadres of the GNLA as the Meghalaya Government has reportedly
not being able to come out with a compensation package to rehabilitate
them.
-
October 25: A three-member armed
group of suspected GNLA militants entered a village across the Simsang
river near East Garo Hills District headquarters of Williamnagar
and opened fire injuring a woman from the village whom they accused
of collaborating with the Police against the outfit. The militants
were allegedly led by the GNLA ‘operational commander’ Jennie alias
Ringrang
-
October 18: Police killed a senior
GNLA ‘deputy area commander’ Dilseng alias Bashish on the
outskirts of Nengmaldalgre village, 6 kilometers from Williamnagar
in East Garo Hills District. The ‘chief’ of GNLA Sohan D Shira who
happened to be with the group narrowly escaped. The encounter happened
when SWAT commandos of the District Police together with CRPF personnel
and CoBRA units were scouting the area for movement of militants.
Police recovered an AK-47 rifle with three magazines containing
ammunition and one .9 mm pistol along with his GNLA identity card
from the slain militant. One powerful wireless handset was also
recovered from the spot.
-
October 17: Meghalaya Police picked
up seven people in the abduction of three Policemen and subsequent
killing of one of them in West Garo Hills District. William Maiong,
who was killed, was abducted along with Sambu Dalu and Naik G Momin
on October 15 by GNLA militants after being lured by one Pintu Ch
Marak to accompany him for fishing.
GNLA militants abducted a Hindi
school teacher from the border belt in South Garo Hills. His whereabouts
remain unknown.
-
October 15: The GNLA militants abducted
three Policemen, identified as William Maiong, Sambu Dalu and Naik
Grejilstone Momin, and later shot dead one of them, William Maiong,
in Tura in West Garo Hills District. The three Policemen were part
of an armed section manning a bank at Gambegre development block.
This is the first incident of Policemen being abducted by militants
in the history of the State. As many as fifteen well-armed GNLA
militants, allegedly led by ‘southern commander’ Baichung Momin
accosted the three Policemen during their fishing trip that was
arranged by a villager from Jongbugre village, 3 Kilometres from
Gambegre. William Maiong was killed when tried to escape. His body
was recovered on October 16. He had sustained six bullet injuries
on his body and Police recovered three empty shells of AK rifle
and .9mm pistol rounds next to the body. The militants then let
off the two other Policemen who could barely walk due to the torture
by the militants.
-
October 14: SFs recovered an IED
weighing around 4 kilograms at Kukurkata in Goalpara District along
the Assam-Meghalaya border. Police suspect that the explosives were
meant for the Garo hills-based GNLA militants. SFs further arrested
a GNLA linkman identified as Pulnam Sangma, who was carrying the
consignment.
-
October 10: Militants belonging
to GNLA have been able to set up bases inside some forest areas
in Garo Hills posing threat to forest staff. A State forest department
official informed that the GNLA militants were operating from deep
inside Durama hill range making forest staff apprehensive given
the fact that militants had abducted forest officials in the past.
The official did not rule out the possibility of militants operating
even from Balpakram National Park located in South Garo Hills District,
as the location of the park which is close to Bangladesh border,
is advantageous to the militants. Earlier, another militant group
ANVC too had been operating from inside the Park.
-
October 4: Union Home Minister P.
Chidambaram assured the Meghalaya Government of all possible assistance
to root out militancy from the State, informed Chief Minister Mukul
Sangma. Sangma was in Delhi to discuss the ramifications of the
GNLA threat with the Home Minister. The Chief Minister reiterated
that his Government is sincere about addressing the root causes
of militancy in Meghalaya.
-
October 3: GNLA militants looted
seven rifles, including four SBBL guns, from a forest range office
in East Garo Hills, without, however, harming the forest staff.
According to the Police, around 15 militants in camouflage and carrying
AK 47 rifles surrounded the forest range office located at Chidekgre,
4 kilometres from Williamnagar, the headquarters of East Garo Hills.
The militants reached the forest office after crossing the Simsang
river. After surrounding the forest office, the militants first
seized the cell phones of the staff and forced all of them into
one room. The militants, who took control over the forest office
for nearly half an hour, asked the staff not to inform the Police.
The staff finally informed the Police only on October 4. This is
the first major attack by GNLA militants on any Government institution
to snatch weapons.
-
September 30: Four Garo GNLA militants
were arrested by Meghalaya Police personnel in West Garo Hills District
and East Garo Hills on September 30. Police personnel arrested one
Sengchon Marak, a cadre of GNLA, finance wing, at Tura in West Garo
Hills. Following his interrogation, three more cadres identified
as Leonard Marak, Leinang Marak and Torombil Marak were arrested
from Williamnagar in East Garo Hills.
-
September 28: GNLA called off its
proposed 10-day bandh (general shut down) in Garo
Hills. GNLA ‘chairman’ Champion Sangma informed that considering
the future of students who would be preparing for various examinations,
they have decided to call off the bandh. The outfit had earlier
called the bandh in October for 10 days demanding the withdrawal
of BSF and the CRPF personnel engaged in anti-insurgency operations
against the GNLA.
-
September 27: Heavily armed militants
belonging to the GNLA ambushed a Police patrol in remote Chokpot
area of South Garo Hills, 55 kilometres from Tura leading to a heavy
exchange of fire. However, there were no casualties. The incident
occurred when a team of Police personnel led by the Chokpot Police
station chief were conducting a road opening and area dominance
operation against militants in the main road connecting Chokpot
town to other parts of Garo Hills. While fleeing, the GNLA militants
lobbed an IED on the patrol party which failed to explode. The group
was led by GNLA ‘area commander’ of South Garo Hills Baichung Momin
and his deputy Eudo Ch Momin alias Cellopa.
-
September 24: GNLA has called a
10-day bandh (general shut down) in the three Districts of
Western Meghalaya demanding withdrawal of operations against the
militant group. GNLA leader Kakam D Shira told reporters over telephone
that the group would impose the bandh from October 10 to
14 and from October 17 to 21. He said the outfit will not withdraw
the bandh call unless the Government stops operations against
their cadres.
-
September 23: The GSU appealed GNLA
to call off its proposed bandh (general shut down) on September
28 and 29. The union president, Tengsak G. Momin said, “We do not
believe that taking up arms will put effective pressure on the Government,
especially the Centre, while demanding a separate state.” Momin
also said the State should initiate measures to end militancy in
Garo Hills and should do so in a constructive manner.
Senior Congress legislator has written
to party president Sonia Gandhi informing her about threats he and
his fellow ministers have been receiving from militants and sought
her intervention in the matter. MLA from Rajabala constituency in
Garo hills, Saidullah Nongrum, faxed the letter on September 23
but Police said he has not yet filed a FIR.
"I would like to inform you
that a militant outfit GNLA from Garo Hills has recently threatened
me and my workers through the print media. The matter is serious
and needs immediate intervention from your end so that our lives
are not at stake while we perform our duties," said Nongrum,
who is also the political secretary to chief minister Mukul Sangma.
-
September 18: ANVC had asked the
GNLA to shun the path of violence. ANVC Spokesman Torik Jangning
Marak said ‘’we appeal to the GNLA to lay down arms and follow our
path of peaceful negotiation.’’ GNLA has given a call for 300 hours
dawn-to-dusk bandh (General shut down) in the three Garo
Hills Districts, namely East, West and South Garo Hills.
The GNLA has ‘rescheduled’ its proposed
bandh by withdrawing its threat of closure on September 30
and the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations.
-
September 17: Meghalaya Government
said that there will be no talks with GNLA. State Home Minister
HDR Lyngdoh said, “Neither will we call the GNLA for talks nor withdraw
our operations”. Lyngdoh further said “They (GNLA) have been demoralized
lot after the state police backed by the central forces pushed the
militant groups on the back foot”.
-
September 15: The State Government
has made it clear that it would intensify its operation against
the GNLA. “Come what may we would not succumb to the pressure of
the GNLA,” Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh said, while referring to the
13-days Garo Hills bandh (general shut down) call issued
by the outfit on September 14. Lyngdoh also informed that the District
administrations in the three Districts in Garo Hills have been asked
to remain on alert.
The ANVC also slammed the GNLA for
threatening to call a 13 days bandh. ANVC spokesperson Torik
Jangning Marak said, “It is going out of hand and they GNLA are
now dictating terms to the people.”
-
September 14: In a joint operation,
SFs arrested two GNLA militants, identified as Benbella Sangma (49)
and Balsang Marak (26), from Kongkhal of West Garo Hills. The Army
recovered extortion notes to be delivered to local businessmen in
the Kongkhal area from them.
After its success of this week’s
total shutdown in the three Districts of Garo Hills from September
12-14, the GNLA have gone a step further threatening to unleash
a thirteen-day dawn-to-dusk closure from September 28 to October
14 with exemptions on Saturdays and Sundays. The outfit’s demand
is for the withdrawal of central security forces currently involved
in operations in Garo Hills.
-
September 12: A three-day shutdown
called by the GNLA starting September 12 demanding for withdrawal
of central forces and suspension of combing operations hit normal
life in western part of Meghalaya. The shutdown will continue till
5 pm of Sep 14.
-
September 10: The GNLA hurled grenade
at a check-point of Transport department in Dainadubi area in East
Garo Hills District. However, no one was injured in the attack.
Mounting pressure on the Government
to withdraw Central Forces from Garo Hills region, the GNLA, threatened
to bomb different areas in the western part of Meghalaya. “We want
the government to withdraw all security forces from Garo Hills and
suspend the combing operation against us or else we will bomb several
areas in Garo Hills,” Kakam D Shira, a top GNLA leader said. Shira
said the outfit also decided to go ahead with the three day dawn-to-dusk
shutdown from September 12 to 14 from 5am to 5 pm everyday in protest
against the ongoing combing operations. The GNLA’s threat came after
personnel of the CoBRA and BSF were deployed in the Garo Hills region.
In a joint operation, SFs arrested
two GNLA militants, identified as Nikjam Marak (25) and Khabir Chand
Marak (19), from Bidukura in West Garo Hills District. One scooter,
one mobile with SIM and one 7.62mm live round were recovered from
them. They revealed that they were in the area to extort money from
a contractor, Akhtar Ali.
-
September 9: A contractor of Meghalaya
Public Health Engineering department, Deepak Saha who was abducted
by suspected GNLA in West Garo Hills on September 7, was released
unharmed.
-
September 7: Suspected GNLA militants
abducted a contractor of public health engineering department, Dipak
Saha, from Kherapara in West Garo Hills. Saha was abducted by 11
armed militants.
-
September 5: Four senior cadres
of the GNLA surrendered before J K Marak, Superintendent of Police
of East Garo Hills District on. Amongst them was Salvision R Sangma
alias Kodalok, cousin of Champion R Sangma, ‘chairman’ of
the outfit. The other three have been identified as Wilnen C Marak
alias Dosi, Phulbari, Malson A Sangma alias Jipjang
and Salnang N Marak alias Kusi. According to sources, it
is likely that they fled from a GNLA camp in the Durema in Garo
Hills.
Opposition leader Conrad Sangma
said the law and order situation of Garo hills would definitely
figure during the Assembly session along with other important issues.
While there is a rise in violent activities of GNLA in the form
of abduction, extortion and killings, ANVC, currently under ceasefire,
has asked the GNLA to stop violence in Garo hills
-
September 4: Three persons, including
two members of the GSU, were arrested at Chisobibra near Williamnagar
in East Garo Hills District for allegedly extorting money on behalf
of the GNLA. The arrestees were identified as Silchang G. Momin
(31), president of the GSU’s Mendipathar unit, Cizaral D. Shira
(30), president of the union’s Damas unit of the District and Sabin
Boro (23), driver of the vehicle. They are alleged to be the “over
ground” workers of the GNLA. The Police recovered INR 700, 000 from
them. They have reportedly confessed that the money was meant to
be delivered to GNLA ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D. Shira.
-
September 1: The GNLA announced
four days of bandh (general shut down) beginning on
September 9 with intervals if the Government does not respond to
their demand by September 8. The outfit has demanded an inquiry
into the “secret killing” of innocent youths by the ANVC in West
Garo Hills.
A sense of confusion prevailed in
Meghalaya over the reported death of Bobby Reagan Marwein, the ‘commander-in-chief’
of HNLC in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The HNLC has neither
confirmed nor denied the news. However, GNLA ‘publicity secretary’
Bikdot Nikjang Marak who claims that all North-Eastern outfits keep
in touch with each other in neighbouring Bangladesh said, “Bobby
was attacked by a gang of criminals but he is recuperating in a
hospital in Bangladesh. These are the hallmarks of a sinister game
plan by Meghalaya Police and Indian Intelligence agencies who want
to impress their bosses in New Delhi in the run up to Dr Manmohan
Singh’s visit to Dhaka later this month”.
-
August 28: SFs arrested onelinkman
of GNLA identified asEndevas Sangma, from Madiaku Area under Boko
Police Station in Kamrup District along Meghalaya - Assam border.
One .22 Revolver was recovered from its possession.
-
August 26: GNLA threatened to call
a 72-hour bandh (general shut down) from September
10, if the Assembly session does not deliberate on the alleged secret
killing of innocent youths by the ANVC cadres.
The GNLA ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan
D. Shira’s personal secretary Kakam D. Shira told the media that
the legislators of both the ruling and the Opposition should check
the atrocities being committed by the ANVC. Shira also alleged that
the ANVC members had resorted to secret killings as it was evident
from the unmarked graves of innocent Garo youths killed by the outfit
and buried behind the Tura Youth Hostel and Samanda camp in the
East Garo Hills. The Government must investigate the use of hidden
weapons by the ANVC since the beginning of the ceasefire, as dozens
of Garo boys and adults who refused to accept the ANVC diktat, have
gone missing. Some are buried in unmarked graves, the GNLA leader
said.
Though the ANVC was supposed to
deposit arms some of the cadres were still holding on to them, the
GNLA alleged.
-
August 23: The GNLA refuted reports
that the outfit was involved in gun battle with Police in the East
Garo Hills District and instead blamed the ANVC, currently under
ceasefire, for the incident. On August 22, suspected GNLA militants
opened fire on a team comprising commandos belonging to the SWAT
of Meghalaya Police at Baija near Williamnagar.
-
August 22: GNLA militants opened
fire on a team of SWAT commandos of the State Police leading to
a brief gun fight at Baija locality on the outskirts of Williamnagar
town in East Garo Hills shortly after 9 pm. The group of four commandos
returned fire from the direction the first shots were fired, forcing
the militants to flee into the darkness. No one was injured in the
incident. A team of SWAT commandos were returning to Williamnagar
from 1st Meghalaya Police Battalion camp in Mawiong in
Shillong after undergoing training when the incident occurred.
-
August 21: GNLA has decided make
hefty salary offer for those Policemen willing to give up their
job and join the group. Kakam D. Shira, a member of the GNLA and
aide of ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D. Shira said that “We will offer
Rs 20,000 per month to constables willing to join us. The monthly
remuneration for Sub-Inspectors will be Rs 50,000. Moreover, there
will be monthly increments.”
-
August 16: GNLA militants shot dead
a truck driver and his helper near Mendipather and exploded a grenade
inside the Chokpot Block Office in South Garo Hills District to
enforce its 12-hour bandh (general shut down). Both the deceased
hailed from Pancharatna area of Goalpara District in Assam. The
GNLA had called for a 12-hour all Garo Hills bandh in protest
against the killing of its ‘deputy army chief’ Roster Marak, and
three others by Police commandos near Williamnagar on August 9.
The militants had announced that a Garo National Mourning Day would
be observed on August 16 in the entire Garo hills region.
GNLA militants shot dead a fifty-year-old
man, identified as Nimot, Singh in Changkegre village of South Garo
hills District. Sources said that the incident took place during
the closing hours of the 12-hour bandh (general shut down)
called by the GNLA to mourn the killing of its four cadres during
an encounter with the Police on August 9. This was the third violent
action resorted to by the GNLA in 12 hours. Confirming the incident,
a Police source said that the cadres involved in the three incidents
have been identified. According to the source, the killers of Nimot
Singh were the men who were involved in the grenade attack on Chokpot
BDO office. There were 7-8 cadres led by Baichung Ch Momin and Readin
Sangma.
-
August 15: The State Police has
established that the GNLA has been following the same strategy followed
by other militant outfits to lure the unemployed youth of the State
to join their ranks. A senior Police official on August 14 informed
that the GNLA were offering between INR 10,000 to INR 15,000 as
salaries to encourage the youth to join the group.
The war of words between GNLA and
the ANVC and the growing threat perception over the outfits’ declaration
war on each other is making residents and NGOs of Garo hills jittery.
Though the ANVC had been making mild threats in the past, the sudden
decision to go on the offensive came after the GNLA decided to call
a bandh (general shut down) in Garo hills on August 16 in
protest against the killing of four of its cadres on August 9. SFs
had killed the four militants, including ‘deputy commander-in-chief’
of GNLA, Savio Marak, based on information passed by an undercover
Policeman, Hubert Marak. Hubert, who had acted a Police deserter
to infiltrate the GNLA, had stayed with the outfit for ten days,
during which he passed vital information to Police.
-
August 11: GNLA which suffered a
devastating blow on August 9 with the death of its ‘deputy commander-in-chief’
and three other cadres in a police operation, has decided not to
boycott the upcoming Independence Day celebrations, and instead
called for a 24-hour Garo Hills bandh on August 16. GNLA ‘chairman’
Champion R Sangma informed through an email that his organisation
remains committed to a separate state within the Indian constitution
and would in no way hamper the country’s national celebrations.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said,
“We are ready to adopt all kind of methods to neutralise the militant
groups for peace to prevail in the State.” He said this while answering
a query on whether it was right for the Police to infiltrate the
GNLA ranks.
-
August 10: Red alert has been sounded
in the three Districts of Garo Hills following the GNLA threat to
resort to retaliatory strikes following the killings of four of
its militants, including the “deputy commander-in-chief” Roster
Sangma, in an encounter on August 9.
Intelligence inputs suggest that
the NDFB-ATF is assisting the GNLA in the planned retaliatory strikes.
-
August 9: Four GNLA militants, including
the ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ of the outfit, Roster Marak, a Police
deserter, were killed in an encounter with the SWAT team of the
State Police at Bolkengre, a village located just four kms from
Williamnagar town of East Khasi Hills District on August 9. The
other three have been identified as Peter Momin alias Bruno,
Hentison Sangma and Jekhyl Marak. Two of the militants, Darwin D
Shira and Bilgrim M Sangma managed to escape under the cover of
darkness. A sub-inspector of the SWAT was also injured during the
encounter. This was the first successful operation after the intensified
trail that started against GNLA militants in East Garo Hills.
Police recovered one AK-81 rifle
with 2 magazines, a grenade launcher with five live grenades, a
powerful MKS rifle of 5.56 calibre, Chinese M20 pistol, five Chinese
hand grenades, two large army grenades, one cylindrical grenade
and 332 number of assorted ammunition including Insas, MKS, sniper
and .32 calibre bullets from the encounter site.
The GNLA has termed the killing
of four of its senior cadres by East Garo Hills Police a ‘national’
tragedy and warned that it would not go unheeded. “We had planned
to remain neutral and silent until August 15 celebrations but they
have now ignited our anger. The killing of our men was done at the
behest of the MLAs. They now have a debt to pay,” warned ‘Political
affairs secretary’ of GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang Marak
-
August 4: Suspected GNLA militants
shot dead a Nokma (village council chief) of Geldupara village under
Garobada Police outpost in West Garo Hills District, for his failure
to pay the extortion money. The Nokma was identified as GR Marak.
GNLA had served him a demand notice of INR 700,000 with the dead
line of August 1.
-
GNLA Spokesman Nikjang Marak said
“We will attack legislators from Garo Hills and bomb the offices
of Congress party and NCP in Garo Hills if the government does not
withdraw the CoBRA commandos.”
-
August 3: The State Government has
welcomed a recent offer by the ANVC to assist in the ongoing operation
against the GNLA. Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh said “We would be more
than happy to accept the ANVC offer to assist the Government in
the operation against the GNLA. We would welcome the support of
any group to end militancy in Garo Hills”.
-
July 31: The Meghalaya Government
is mulling use of helicopters to provide aerial support to SFs fighting
the GNLA militants in inaccessible terrain and thick jungles in
the Garo Hills region, an official said. “In a recent meeting, the
Central Government has allowed us to hire helicopters for aerial
support to security forces on the ground to counter the GNLA rebels,
but we are yet to take a decision on it,” SK Jain, intelligence
chief of Meghalaya Police said.
-
July 29: GNLA ‘chairman’ Champion
Sangma took responsibility for the July 27 Blast at Chetripara locality
of Akonggre near Tura main Market and said that the main target
was CRPF patrol. He further said “If CoBRA units are not withdrawn
at the earliest; our boys will not hesitate to act”.
-
July 28: Meghalaya Government ordered
an internal inquiry by its Police chief to find out whether allegations
of “discrimination” within the Police department were true. The
decision to conduct the inquiry was taken after Hubert Marak, a
Meghalaya Police constable, joined the GNLA on July 26 alleging
“discrimination” within the Police ranks. The total number of such
desertions has risen to five, including the GNLA ‘chairman’ Champion
R. Marak, who is a dismissed Meghalaya Police Deputy Superintendent
of Police.
-
July 26: One more constable of Meghalaya
Police, Hubert, the personal security officer of NCP legislator
Omillo Sangma, reportedly deserted the force and joined GNLA. The
Policeman also carried away his carbine and one revolver. “Hubert
has been missing for more than two weeks and our suspicion is that
he has joined the GNLA,” an unnamed senior Police official said.
Hubert hails from Warimagre in East Garo Hills District, where the
outfit has significant presence. Earlier, another constable, Savio
Marak, had joined the GNLA and is now the ‘area commander’ of West
Khasi Hills.
-
July 24: Three militants of the
GNLA identified as Sonaram R Marak, Changke R Marak and Tekrok N
Sangma surrendered at Baghmara in South Garo Hills District. They
surrendered at Baghmara Police station after escaping from a GNLA
hideout deep inside Durama range in western Meghalaya.
-
The trio surrendered following pressure
due to the ongoing combing operations against the GNLA militants
in Garo Hills region,” Deputy Inspector of General of Police (Western
Region) said. The Meghalaya Government has launched a massive crackdown
against the GNLA in the three district of Garo Hills region. Five
companies of the Border Security Force and two units of CoBRA commandos
have been deployed in Garo Hills to assist the state Police in the
crackdown.
-
July 22: SFs on July 22 arrested
a GNLA militant, Karwin Marak, from Bolmeadang in Dhubri District
of Assam.
-
July 20: Meghalaya Chief Minister
Mukul Sangma said that the Government was examining the activities
of the GNLA before declaring it an outlawed group. “We are still
examining GNLA’s activities and threats before imposing a ban on
it. Everything is under scanner,” Sangma said, and warned the political
sympathizers of the outfit of drastic action.
GNLA clarified that it had no intention
of harming civilians, days after it had reportedly threatened to
detonate explosives in several areas of Meghalaya if the combing
operations against them were not suspended immediately.
-
July 19: Three days after threatening
to unleash a wave of serial blasts in the economic centres of the
State, the GNLA ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D. Shira on July 19 has
come out with a statement claiming that his outfit is prepared to
take on the special CoBRA units of the CRPF and warned it would
not remain a mute spectator to any atrocity that the commando unit
may commit on the innocent civilians.
Meghalaya asked the Central Government
to persuade Bangladesh to arrest Champion R Sangma, the ‘chairman’
of GNLA who has been camping in Bangladesh for several months in
search of support.
-
July 18: The Meghalaya Government
on July 18 said the threat issued by the GNLA to unleash a reign
of terror in the State should be taken seriously but ruled out withdrawal
of combing operations against the militant outfit. State Home Minister
H.D.R. Lyngdoh convened a high-level meeting with senior Police
officials to review the law and order situation in the State following
purported threat from the GNLA.
Cadres of GNLA have reportedly been
compelled to move to safer places after fresh operations were launched
by Meghalaya Police together with the elite Cobra commandos and
BSF personnel to flush out the militants from Garo hills. Police
sources said there has been heavy movement of GNLA militants along
the Durama hill range in Garo hills. The range is a tripartite junction
connecting the three districts of Garo Hills — West, East and South
Garo Hills.
-
July 17: SFs were put on high alert
in Meghalaya after GNLA militants threatened to carry out serial
blasts across the State. The militants said they would bomb crowded
places like Bara Bazaar and Police Bazaar in Shillong, East Khasi
Hills, Tura market in West Garo Hills and other places if the Government
did not withdraw Central forces from Garo Hills by July 18. GNLA’s
threat came after two units of CoBRA and five companies of BSF troopers
were deployed in the Garo Hills region. “If the operations against
the GNLA are not stopped by Monday, the organisation will go for
serial blasts in Meghalaya,’’ GNLA ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D
Shira reportedly said from an undisclosed location
SK Jain, the intelligence chief
of Meghalaya Police said, “There is no question of withdrawing the
troops or suspending our combing operation against them. Instead,
we will intensify our operations.” An alert has been sounded across
the State, he added.
-
July 14: Two CoBRA units of the
CRPF and five companies of the specially trained BSF have been trifurcated,
and a group each will be based in each of the three District Head
Quarters (HQs) of Garo Hills. Disclosing this, a senior Police official
said, “A thorough briefing was given to the newly inducted personnel,
particularly on the topography of Meghalaya, strength of the GLNA,
its weakness and tactics. Though the Special Forces will be based
in Tura, Williamnagar and Baghmara, their area of operations will
stretch up to West Khasi Hills District.”
-
July 13: In what can be an indication
of intensified rivalry between two militant outfits of Garo Hills,
the ANVC has accused the GNLA of trying to poach its cadres by offering
up to INR 3 Million. “The GNLA tried to buy our cadres with offers
up to Rs 30 lakh,” ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said in
a statement on July 14. The outfit also alleged that GNLA cadres
are assuming names (alias) similar to ANVC leaders. The ANVC,
currently under ceasefire with the Government, had alleged that
the GNLA is in cahoots with the NDFB and the ULFA. The GNLA had
also cautioned the State Government not to entertain the ANVC’s
appeal to allow its cadres to carry weapons “to protect themselves
from the GNLA”.
The deployment of two COBRA units
of the CRPF and five companies of specially trained BSF personnel
to assist the State Police in Garo hills explained the gravity of
the subversive activities being carried by the GNLA. Admitting that
the GNLA activities have increased in recent months, a senior Police
official involved in monitoring the Police operations, however,
rubbished the notion that the State police had failed to curb the
activities of the militant outfit. “In the type of situation that
we are involved, there were occasions that we were down, but overall
success rate should be appreciated,” stated the Police official.
He said that seven GNLA camps had been busted in the past six months.
He said that this was no ordinary achievement.
-
July 12: In a bid to tackle the
growing militant activities in Garo Hills, the CoBRA personnel were
deployed in the region. Additional Director General of Police (Law
and Order) Rajiv Mehta on July 12 said two CoBRA units were deployed
in Garo Hills to tackle the activities of militant groups. CoBRA
commandos will assist the state Police in the ongoing combing operations
to flush out GNLA militants from forested areas. It is also learnt
that five companies of the BSF would soon be deployed in the region
to further avenge the advancement of GNLA.
-
July 10: CoBRA commandos will soon
be deployed in Western Meghalaya to counter the growing threat from
GNLA militants, police said. "Five companies of BSF and two
units of CoBRA commandos would be deployed in Garo Hills to help
us in our ongoing combing operations against GNLA," S.K. Jain,
the intelligence chief of Meghalaya Police said. The CoBRA commandos
- the special force raised to tackle Maoist insurgency in India
- will counter the growing GNLA activities in East and South Garo
Hills Districts, considered to be GNLA's heartland. Presently, 500
CRPF troopers are assisting the Meghalaya Police and its SWAT commandos
to tackle the GNLA. More than 10 people, including security personnel,
have been killed in the Garo Hills during the last one year by GNLA
rebels.
-
July 9: Documents and explosive
material recovered by the Police from the GNLA transit camp in Nengmalgre
forest, East Garo Hills District have revealed links between the
GNLA and ULFA. GNLA ‘military chief’ Sohan D Shira, along with 12
armed cadres of his outfit and three ULFA militants, left behind
2 kg of explosive material and a number of incriminating documents
while fleeing from the transit camp during an encounter with the
police on July 8. Apart from Shira, GNLA ‘area commander’s Savio
Marak and Rakstar Sangma and other militants were taking shelter
in the camp. The police overran the transit camp after over half-an-hour
gun battle. Though the militants managed to escape, the recovery
of explosives and incriminating documents unveiled GNLA-ULFA links.
The three ULFA men in question are said to be associates of ULFA-ATF
leader Dristi Rajkhowa. Dristi Rajkhowa is functioning from the
Resubelpara, Goalpara and Kamrup areas of Assam in order to maintain
the outfit’s links with the GNLA and to use the Garo Hills belt
as a transit route to Bangladesh.
-
July 8: SFs neutralised a camp belonging
to the GNLA at Nengmandalgre, eight kilometres from Williamnagar
town in East Garo Hills District even as the militants fired on
the raiding party in a bid to protect their jungle shelter. No casualties
were reported. Police sources revealed that the camp was set up
at the behest of GNLA ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D Shira who regularly
visited the camp. The camp was also giving shelter to GNLA’s West
Khasi Hills ‘area commander’ Savio Marak who recently arrived in
the area with his cadres ostensibly for a briefing by Sohan D Shira.
Various militant outfits of the
region have found a ‘risk-free’ passage in Meghalaya to cross over
from Bangladesh. The outfits have been using the route through Hat
Mawdon Sirdarship in East Khasi Hills District, villagers said expressing
their concern while blaming the delay in construction of the border
fencing by the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC)
for the militant movement in the area.
New Delhi BSF and Border Guards
Bangladesh (BGB) at a sector commander-level meeting held at Tura
in West Garo Hills District agreed to share real time information
to capture Trans-border criminals and militants.
-
July 7: The Meghalaya Police arrested
three persons, including a cook of the Indian IIM, Shillong, for
allegedly maintaining links with the GNLA, from Madan Laban locality
in East Khasi Hills District. The arrestees were identified as Debraj
Dalu (21), Simal Barman (18) and Lambus Sangma (27).
Dispelling all claims about his
arrest at the hands of Bangladeshi security agencies, the “chairman”
of GNLA, Champion R. Sangma alias Pakchara, announced that
he remains a free man and accused the State Police, in tandem with
Central agencies, of making deliberate attempt to feed false information
on him. This is with regard to the conflicting reports taking place
in the last few days about the possibility of the “Chairman” being
taken into custody by security agencies in neighbouring Bangladesh.
The ANVC, currently under a truce
with the Government of India, has now asked for its arms, which
they had deposited at the time of the ceasefire in 2004, back for
“protection” from the GNLA. The outfit wrote a letter to state Home
Minister HDR Lyngdoh asking for the arms following killing of a
mentally deranged person by suspected GNLA cadres near an ANVC designated
camp at Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District recently. The ANVC
has around 16 arms, including AK series rifles and pistols, deposited
in a locked armoury in custody of Tura Police. The outfit has also
asserted that the GNLA is working with the ISI of Pakistan. The
ANVC demanding for a Garoland Autonomous Council had entered into
a tripartite ceasefire with the Central and the State governments
on July 23, 2004.
-
July 6: Bangladesh authorities have
launched a manhunt to arrest Champion R. Sangma, the leader of the
GNLA, an Indian militant leader, after Meghalaya Police confirmed
he has shifted base to Bangladesh. Champion, who wants to fight
for a ‘sovereign Garoland’ in the western area of Meghalaya, has
forged a close operational relationship with other northeast-based
insurgents groups such as ULFA and NDFB.
-
July 3: Two constables, identified
as Exmarting Marak and Gopal Prasad Nunia, were killed when a Police
ambush group fired at another group of Policemen in camouflage fatigues,
mistaking them for GNLA.
-
June 29: Suspected GNLA militants
opened indiscriminate fire on a Police outpost in Dobu area of East
Garo Hills District. Militants forced to flee as SFs retaliated.
Since the days of militancy, Dobu has been a prime target for extortion
from coal barons.
-
June 15: The SFs busted a GNLA camp
located in the foothills of Durema forest in East Garo Hills District.
The camp, according to the officials, could provide shelter to around
50 people and ration that could last for two months for 50 people
and incriminating documents were found from the camp.
-
June 8: It was not the NDFB-ATF
which together with the GNLA ambushed a Police mobile party at Tapa
Darengchi village, near Mendipather in East Garo Hills District
on June 4 but heavily armed militants of the ULFA-ATF that is headed
by Paresh Barua.
Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh asserted
that the State Police would take all steps to wipe out the GNLA
and that the Police are well equipped for the job. "We are
going to face them (GNLA) with all our strength and they would be
finished off," Lyngdoh said while reacting to the outfit's
reported claim that the recent ambush on June 4 in East Garo Hills
was part of its "reverse operation" against the Police.
-
June 6: The Meghalaya Government
sought five companies of ITBP to tackle the anti-national activities
of GNLA militants. Home Minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh said that they requested
the Centre to sanction them five companies of ITBP to tackle the
GNLA activities in Garo Hills region.
-
June 1: Three GNLA militants were
arrested at a check gate at Athiabari in West Khasi Hills District.
The arrestees were identified as Phairos Marak (26), Amost Sangma
(26) and Vituos Marak (24).
-
May 19: SFs arrested four GNLA militants,
three of them Bangladeshis, in West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya.
The arrestees were identified as Rupanto Thiran, Ledison Thiran,
Parhari Diwa and Froainath Marak.
-
May 3: Suspected GNLA militants
abducted a trader from Bajengdoba town in East Garo Hills District.
A group of three armed militants came on foot to the grocery shop-cum-residence
of a Marwari trader, Kanella Sani (52) and took him away at gunpoint.
The state Government has ordered
a probe into the "threatening SMSes and calls" that were
sent to certain legislators from Garo Hills allegedly by persons
claiming to be GNLA. Informing this, Meghalaya Home Minister HDR
Lyngdoh on also said nexus between GNLA and politicians cannot be
ruled out.
Top Garo GNLA cadre escaped from
the custody of the East Khasi Hills Police despite being handcuffed.
Arbenus Marak, considered as a close confidante of GNLA 'chairman'
Champion Sangma, was arrested by the BSF on May 1 from Dangar, a
village located along the Khasi Hills stretch of the India-Bangladesh
border. The arrested militant escaped when the police was taking
him for a medical examination.
-
May 1: A close associate of GNLA
top leaders, Champion R Sangma and Sohan D Shira, identified as
Arbenus Marak (25), was arrested by the BSF from Bhawal Bazar at
Dangar in East Khasi Hills District. According to BSF, Marak had
gone there to extort money from local businessmen. Marak, who underwent
six months training at Barapara Jungle area of Tura where he learnt
handling of weapons like AK series and explosives, is also involved
in other illegal activities, the BSF added.
N Rajamarathandan, Superintendent
of Police West Khasi Hills, that Police want full co-operation from
the villagers of West Khasi Hills to help them in driving away all
GNLA cadres present in the area.
-
April 29: Dissident Garo Hills District
Congress legislators claimed to have received "threatening"
text messages from GNLA militants, asking them why they did not
support beleaguered chief minister Mukul Sangma.
Frankenstein W. Momin, community
and rural development minister and a dissident Congress legislator,
said he had received threatening messages from people who claimed
to be cadres of the nascent militant outfit. According to him, the
phone number from which the text messages were sent was reportedly
from Bangladesh and the language used was English. Apart from Momin,
other legislators who have received similar text messages include
Saleng Sangma, the legislator from Dalamgiri in West Garo Hills.
In the past, the GNLA was alleged to have sent "text messages"
to demand money from legislators cutting across party lines representing
Garo hills. The Sangma Government, which completed a year in office
on April 20, is under strain with dissidents trying to overthrow
the chief minister and replacing him with former chief minister
D.D. Lapang.
-
April 28: The alleged involvement
of some police personnel in "passing information" to the
GNLA has much to do in the failure of the State Police Department
in its operations against the outfit. Despite concrete intelligence
inputs on the movement and activities of the Garo outfit, operations
launched by the State police against the outfit failed to yield
the desired results.
Admitting that the leakage of vital
information has had a "jeopardizing effect" on police
operations against the militant outfit, The DIGP Raju, however,
said that those who indulged in such activities were influenced
by GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma, the deserted Deputy Superintendent
of the State police.
-
April 27: The Hynniewtrep National
Youth Front (HNYF) asked the GNLA to stop its extortion activities
which "may lead to communal tension between the two major groups"
in the State. Accusing the Garo militant outfit of being largely
active in certain parts of West Khasi Hills, HNYF president GH Kharshanlor
said they should not target the common and innocent people.
Four GNLA militants, identified
as Sengma Momin, Leping Sangma, Phoni Sangma and William Marak,
were arrested at Dalu in West Garo Hills.
A Police constable, identified as
Stembirth Sangma, was arrested at Nongalbibra in South Garo Hills
District for having links with the GNLA. He allegedly used to leak
internal information of the Police to the outfit's leaders.
20 GNLA militants surrendered before
Meghalaya Home Minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh. Led by 'chief training instructor'
of the outfit Mingran T. Sangma alias Lodrin T. Sangma, the 20 cadres
also deposited one M-16, one AK-56, one 7.62 SLR, three pistols,
one grenade, ammunition and documents relating to the aims and objectives
of the outfit. Terming the surrender of the cadres as a "red
letter day" in the State's history, H.D.R. Lyngdoh said the
Government would announce a "good package" to rehabilitate
the militants who had come overground.
-
April 24: GNLA 'commander-in-chief'
Sohan D. Shira narrowly escaped a Police raid at his home on the
outskirts of Williamnagar District in Meghalaya. This is not the
first time the elusive militant leader has escaped death or capture.
During his ANVC days as 'area commander' of South Garo Hills, he
also managed to escape an attack by SOT commandos at his hideout
in Siju.
Most of the non-Garo Government
employees working in Garo Hills have been abstaining from their
duties due to fear of GNLA militants, who have served demand notes
to them asking for up to INR three million. The GNLA has demanded
the money as "donation for the interest and upliftment of the
Garo people of Garo Land and for making use of the resources of
Garo Hills."
-
April 18: The GNLA shot at several
trucks and placed a demand of INR 20000 from every trucker plying
through Wahthre village, around eight kilometres from Shahlang in
East Khasi Hills District.
-
April 15: Meghalaya Home Minister
H.D.R Lyngdoh said that the Government will investigate the alleged
nexus between the GNLA militants and some Police. "It
could be only a suspicion (nexus between GNLA and police personnel),
but we will conduct an investigation to establish these linkages,"
Lyngdoh told journalists.
-
April 14: Suspected GNLA militants
attacked a gas station by lobbying a crude bomb in the heart of
Mendipather town that belongs to one Prakash Ch Momin in East Garo
Hills District. However, no casualty was reported.
-
April 9: The State Police intensified
operations in certain areas of Garo Hills to crack down the suspected
GNLA militants, who had shot dead five migrant coal labourers in
South Garo Hills District on April 5. Asserting that the massacre
was the handiwork of the suspected GNLA, a senior Police Official
on April 8 said operations are in full swing to track down the GNLA
militants who are terrorising people in Garo Hills.
-
April 5: The GNLA militants killed
five migrant coal miners and injured another at Goka coal dumping
area South Garo Hills District. Sources said that GNLA militants
opened indiscriminate fire on the sleeping coal labourers killing
five on the spot and injuring another. The slain persons were identified
as Ram Badan Yadav (40) from Uttar Pradesh, Suha Gin (36) from Assam,
Habibul (20) from Mancachar in Assam, Noor Muhammad (42) from Mahendraganj
in West Garo Hills, Jamin (40) from Mancachar. The injured worker
was identified as Rakib Miya (25) from Mancachar. "There has
been recent movement of a group of militants from West Khasi Hills
District into South Garo Hills and we are gathering the details,"
informed a security official.
-
March 21: The SDO of Resubelpara
in East Garo Hills District, Ram Singh’s convoy comes under ambush
when a group of GNLA militants opened indiscriminate fire inside
a jungle road across the Simsang river of Williamnagar town. The
encounter lasted close to 15 minutes in which neither side have
any casualty as the militants managed to escape. Ram Singh, IAS,
was heading for spot verification to Rongrekgre village, 10 kilometers
from Williamnagar town, as part of his ongoing probe into the January
26’s encounter between militants and Police where one 50-year-old
labourer, Washington Marak, was killed and later passed off as a
GNLA cadre leading to widespread protests in the Garo Hills. Across
the Simsang river in Williamnagar town has long been known as a
stronghold for GNLA militants.
-
February 24: A GNLA cadre, identified
as Anand R.Marak (28) of Khasikhakra of Goalpara District of Assam,
was arrested at Shallang market in West Khasi Hills District. Anand
is wanted by Police in connection with the abduction of the Nokma
of Riangshi village in October 2010. The GNLA cadre came to Shallang
to carry out extortion drive, Police said. Meanwhile, another source
claimed Anand is one of the members of the nine-member breakaway
faction of the GNLA, four of whom were already killed in alleged
fake encounter at Mendipathar.
-
February 16: The four arrested NDFB
militants revealed during interrogation that HNLC and GNLA received
training from the Bodo outfit. The GNLA, on the other hand, has
also been helping the NDFB by providing shelter to its cadres.
-
February 9: A Policeman, who was
suspected of deserting his ranks to join the GNLA militant outfit
while on duty in the Mendipather region in Williamnagar District
last month [January], confirmed about his joining GNLA. Policeman
Savio Marak called up Shillong Times office to inform that
he has joined the ranks of the militant outfit under the guidance
of his former officer and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)
Champion R Sangma who is the ‘chairman’ of the GNLA.
-
February 6: Former Deputy Superintendent
of Police-turned-militant leader Champion Sangma’s GNLA is offering
a ‘better package’ to attract constables in the State to its fold.
Government sources said that there were inputs, which suggest that
the GNLA was offering a monthly package of INR 400,000 to INR 500,000
to Police personnel to join the outfit.
-
January 26: A major controversy
erupted in East Garo Hills District as the villagers went for a
general strike in front of a Police Station in Williamnagar town
over the killing of a 50-year-old man, claimed to be a cadre of
the GNLA by the SOT of the SFs. The SOT Police commandos raided
Rongrekgre village, 10 Kilometers from across the Simsang river,
and shot dead one person and arrested four others claiming them
to be members of the GNLA.
-
January 24: The Meghalaya State
Police is contemplating to take departmental action against the
Constable Savio Marak who allegedly joined GNLA after deserting
the Force. DGP S.B. Kakati said that Savio's services would be terminated
and departmental inquiry would be initiated "if he has joined
the nascent militant outfit." Meanwhile, Intelligence sources
confirmed that the Policeman joined the outfit to take revenge against
the Rabhas following the recent Garo-Rabhas clashes along the Assam
Meghalaya border.
-
January 23: A Police Constable Savio
Marak is suspected to have joined the GNLA. Marak, deployed in the
ethnic-riot hit Mendipathar area of East Garo Hills District, went
missing since January 21, 2011 with two rifles and 60 rounds of
ammunition. Police sources also informed that one team of security
men is already in the hunt for Marak along the Assam -Meghalaya
border.
2010
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December 20: According to Police
sources, there are clear indications about the GNLA giving shares
of extortion money to politicians in Meghalaya. "We have specific
inputs which indicate GNLA having some political patronage allowing
the outfit to carry out its activities openly. We have also received
reports about the GNLA militants depositing some portions of the
amounts collected through extortions in the bank accounts of some
politicians," a senior Police official said. However, he refused
to divulge the names of the politicians.
-
December 19: Three GNLA militants,
including ‘general secretary’ Gregory A. Sangma alias Jerry,
surrendered before the East Garo Hills SP Sylvester Nongtynger at
the District headquarters town of Williamnagar, after they deserted
the outfit. The two other surrenderees were Goran D. Sangma alias
Chesang and Jamin Sangma alias Kakati. The militants,
who described the pathetic living conditions at the GNLA camp, told
the Police that more cadres were willing to lay down arms.
-
December 12: The GNLA sent an extortion
demand to a sitting Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Garo
Hills Constituency. Sources said a Garo Hills legislator received
a call from a person identifying himself as a GNLA cadre on December
12 and demanded INR five million. Director General of Police (DGP)
S. B. Kakati confirming the extortion demand said the Police have
begun an investigation. The DGP added it would be premature to comment
if the caller was a GNLA cadre.
The Meghalaya Government invited
the GNLA for talks to "facilitate their surrender". Till
recently the Government chose to ignore the group dismissing it
as a "bunch of criminals" waiting to be hauled up by the
SFs. However, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that the Government
is willing to talk with the GNLA, with a singular objective of convincing
the "bunch of criminals" to surrender. "We want to
facilitate a system where we can ask the GNLA cadres to surrender
and ensure that they come over ground," Sangma said.
-
December 10: Four militants of the
breakaway faction of the GNLA, including its leader, Jokin Momin,
were killed during an encounter with Police in East Garo Hills District.
Five militants were arrested while at least one managed to escape
with a bullet injury. The Police recovered two pistols and a revolver
from the encounter site.
-
November 24: The GNLA militants
released District Transport Officer (DTO) of Williamnagar in the
Robinus Syngkon area after receiving and unspecified amount of ransom.
After having spent close to two months in the captivity of the militants
in the vast and dense forests of East and South Garo Hills, the
DTO emerged from the thick undergrowth of Samanda town shortly after
7pm.
-
November 21: A gunfight broke out
between SFs and cadres of the GNLA in Goreng village in South Garo
Hills District bordering West Khasi Hills Districts on when SFs
came under fire from four GNLA cadres hiding there. ‘The encounter
lasted for an hour and the militants retreated back to the near
by forest after intensive firing from the troops," a Police
official said. However, an amount of INR 50,000 left behind by the
GNLA cadres was recovered from the encounter site. Though SFs suffered
no casualty or injury, the Police are yet to confirm if any of the
militants were injured.
-
November 17: Suspected GNLA militants
killed two coal miners and attacked a petrol pump in South Garo
Hills District. The migrant coal miners, identified as Nazrul Islam
and Kuki Boro, were killed in two different coal quarry areas, a
local Police official, from the area said.
The militants also hurled two grenades
at a petrol pump at Pathargittim area. One of the grenades exploded
causing damage to the petrol pump, while the other failed to explode,
the Police official said. Though, no militant group has claimed
responsibility for the blast, intelligence agencies suspected the
involvement of the GNLA. "These attacks carried out by the
GNLA is to create fear psychosis in the coal mine areas to yield
their extortion demands," a top intelligence official said.
The GNLA had earlier slapped extortion demands ranging from INR
500,000 to INR 10 million on petrol pump owners, coal dealers and
businessmen in the coal-rich Districts of Garo Hills. A fortnight
ago, the GNLA militants had abducted two non- tribal coal traders
from their residences at Nangalbibra area on ransom.
-
November 3: There were intelligence
reports about the HNLC attempting to increase its activities again
with of a tie-up with the GNLA. The move comes only a few days after
a similar tie-up between the HNLC and the anti-talks faction of
NDFB. According to intelligence sources, HNLC 'commander-in-chief'
Bobby Marwein recently held a meeting with GNLA 'commander-in-chief'
Champion R Marak ''somewhere'' in Dhaka. Intelligence sources also
reported that the two militant leaders agreed to work together on
all aspects.
-
October 24: Meghalaya Police arrested
the alleged "chief recruiting agent" of the GNLA, Dikseng
M. Sangma and two of his close aides, Wallen Ch. Marak and Stingson
Ch. Marak, from East Garo Hills District on October 23, even as
Operation Durama continues in a bid to arrest the outfit's
cadres. According to East Garo Hills Superintendent of Police (SP),
Sylvester Nongtnger, Sangma had admitted that around three cadres
of the GNLA had been recruited in the first and second batch. He
added that on Sangma's information, a GNLA camp was nutralised at
Dorengkigre on October 24 though the outfit's cadres had left much
before the Police arrived. The SP said on October 20, the Police
had neutralised the outfit's general store, which was hidden deep
inside the forest of Durama, around 9kilometres from Adugre village.
Uniforms, magazine pouches, rifle slings, generator, and food items
were destroyed on the spot.
-
October 15: The GNLA sent extortion
notes ranging from INR 1 million to INR 1.5 million to eight businessmen
in Shallang area of West Khasi Hills District on October 6. The
self-styled 'commander-in-chief' of the outfit, Sohan D. Shira,
who masterminded the abduction of the transport official, R. Syngkon,
from Williamnagar in East Garo Hills on September 30, signed the
demand notes. Besides East and South Garo Hills, the GNLA militants
have become active in a few pockets of West Khasi Hills with an
eye on extorting money from the coal barons in the Shallang area
of the District.
-
October 11: The West Garo Hills
District Police in tandem with intelligence agencies intercepted
cell phone conversations between cadres of the Garo National Liberation
Army (GNLA) giving congratulatory messages about October 9 bomb
blast in Tura resulting in injury to eight persons. Highly placed
Police sources informed that several leads had been established
about the GNLA's role in the bomb blast.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma
admitted that many smaller militant outfits of the State have flourished
due to active support from similar groups from other States. "These
smaller groups are off-shoots of militant organisations of different
states," Sangma said. The Chief Minister's comments came in
the backdrop of the links of the GNLA with the NSCN-IM and ULFA.
-
October 9: A GNLA militant surrendered
before the Police at Dobu in East Garo Hills District on an unspecified
date.
At least eight people were injured
in a bomb blast triggered in a shopping place at Tura in West Garo
Hills District. Meanwhile, the West Garo Hills District Police hinted
that the blast could be the handiwork of the GNLA.
-
October 7: Meghalaya Home Minister
H.D.R. Lyngdoh said the rehabilitation package for surrendered militants
would not apply to any surrendered GNLA cadres.
-
September 30: Five GNLA cadres abducted
R. Syngkon, the District transport officer of East Garo Hills District,
and his driver from his official residence in Williamnagar.
-
September 26: A combined force of
the West Garo Hills, East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills District
Police neutralised a major camp housing two different units of the
GNLA in Durama Hills of Nokrek Range. The militants managed to escape
from the camp after a brief encounter.
-
August 16: A militant belonging
to the GNLA surrendered at Rongjeng Police Station in East Garo
Hills District.
-
August 10: Pebilson Marak, a coal
trader who was abducted by suspected GNLA militants from Rongjeng
in East Garo Hills District on August 7, was released three days
later. According to Police sources, the coal merchant was released
at Narenggre after his relatives had reportedly paid INR 1.1 million
as ransom.
-
August 2: Suspected militants ransacked
the office of the Prosecution Inspector's branch, which is housed
in the same building as that of East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner,
and looted an unspecified number of sophisticated small arms. A
senior unnamed Police official said they suspected the involvement
of the GNLA, led by Champion Sangma, who held the rank of Deputy
Superintendent of Police before deserting the forces.
-
August 1: Militancy has adversely
affected the Union Government's flagship programme, National Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), in Garo Hills. There are instances
of huge number of people, working under NREGS projects in East and
South Garo Hills Districts, who cut short their work to go home
early due to fear of being intimidated by GNLA militants.
-
July 21: The East Garo Hills District
Police and the Army arrested a GNLA militant with small arms from
Rari area under Bajengdoba Police Outpost.
-
July 15: Five GNLA cadres were detained
under the Meghalaya Preventive Detention Act (MPDA) 1995 with maximum
imprisonment for three years.
-
June 27: Two GNLA militants were
shot dead by a combined force of the Army and the East Garo Hills
District Police during an encounter in Kharkutta area.
-
June 16: The GNLA accused its ‘general
secretary’ Novembirth Ch. Marak, who was arrested by the Meghalaya
Police from Siliguri town of West Bengal in May 2010, of betraying
the cause of the outfit for the greed of materialistic gains.
-
May 15: GNLA ‘finance secretaries’,
Solte Marak and Martin, were arrested by the SFs from Williamnagar
of East Garo Hills District. They were arrested following the arrest
of GNLA ‘general secretary’, Novembirth Ch. Marak, from New Jalpaiguri
railway station in West Bengal.
-
May 19: The Police teams from West
Garo Hills and East Garo Hills along with the CRPF personnel neutralised
a camp of the GNLA after an encounter inside the Durama hills range
straddling both East and West Garo Hills Districts. While GNLA militants
managed to escape into the forest, a huge cache of ammunition was
recovered from the camp.
The West Garo Hills District Police
found a Short Message Service (SMS) communication sent by the GNLA
‘chairman’ to his supporters over the desertion of 11 of his cadres
with 32 pistols from the Nengmandalgre camp. The GNLA leader in
that SMS message cautioned his junior leaders to be wary of further
desertions and to ensure weapons are kept in check to prevent any
theft from the armory.
-
April 24: Publicity Secretary' of
the GNLA, Gilsang Matgrik Marak, said that an Indian Mujahideen
militant, Sanwar Hussain, was captured by its cadres, along with
three AK-47 rifles and a huge cache of ammunition, from East Garo
Hills District on April 10 and was kept in confinement.
-
April 2: The newly formed GNLA,
headed by an absconding Meghalaya Deputy Superintendent of Police
(DSP), threatens to blow up mobile towers in the interior areas
and disrupt telecommunication network in retaliation for alleged
Police excesses against villagers.
-
March 28: Pakchara R. Sangma, a
‘Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)’ of the Meghalaya Police,
who remained missing for the last many months, issued a press statement
‘confirming’ himself as the ‘chairman’ of the GNLA outfit and threatened
to take on the ANVC, accusing its of ‘harassing’ the weaker sections
of the Garo society.
-
March 18: A senior Police Officer
of Meghalaya in the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)
joined the GNLA, the newly formed militant outfit in Garo Hills.
-
March 13: The ANVC denied its involvement
in the abduction of a coal trader Nokma Chongrin Marak of Garo Hills
and instead accused the GNLA outfit of attempting to derail the
ongoing peace process.
Source:Compiled from news reports and
are provisional.
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