The state government is concerned but not overly worried about intelligence that the outlawed militant group, the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) is regrouping, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said today.
Recently, an internal memo by a Deputy Superintendent of Police-ranked officer in West Garo Hills was leaked online. The memo, meant only for circulation among other officers, claimed that the GNLA, which had been effectively dealt a death blow in 2018, was on a recruitment drive in Garo Hills and had signed up 500 new members.
Today, Sangma said that, while the government is concerned, numerous bits of intelligence come to the authorities almost daily but only a small fraction of these are credible.
The CM told reporters that he has received an internal report into the matter but has not looked thoroughly into it. However, he said that the government is not taking it lightly.
“We are concerned at every level but I’m not saying we’re concerned in the sense that we’re worried. You must understand that as a government we receive a lot of intel and when it comes in we have to filter them all and see which one has weightage,” Sangma said.
He also explained that there are times that they get 100-200 reports out of which only two or three hold weightage. “I can’t comment much without looking at the report but as a government we don’t take things lightly,” he added.