Three persons who claimed to be members of the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) were arrested by police today in West Garo Hills district.
The arrest came a day reports of one Jingjang D. Shira claiming to be the new ‘chief executive director’ of the GNLA and 500 cadres being trained at Riangdim in West Khasi Hills bordering East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills.
The arrested were identified as Namchang Ch Momin alias Jingjang D. Shira (22) of Darangagre village, Adot M. Sangma (26) of Ganipara village, and Silwit R. Marak (26) of Nalnapara village, all under Dalu police station in West Garo Hills district.
West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police V S Rathore informed that after the report regarding the regrouping of GNLA surfaced, a counter-insurgency operation was launched.
He also said that while the police team was on the way to Darangagre village, information was received from Kherapara police outpost that the three persons had surrendered there.
The police team then returned to the Kherapara outpost and interrogated the three.
Subsequently, a house search was conducted at the residence of Namchang Ch Momin alias Jingjang D. Shira, and several incriminating materials like camouflage uniforms, boots, etc were recovered and seized.
According to police, there is no GNLA regrouping effort as claimed, and the three persons banded together the act to create fear psychosis in the general public and to extort money from businessmen.
“It is suspected that some more persons might have been involved in the act, and an investigation is underway to unearth the whole conspiracy,” Rathore said.
Stating that the Meghalaya police are making all possible efforts to thwart any attempt by militants to regroup, Rathore also appealed to members of the general public to inform police about any information related to militancy.
“We will act on all such information and suitably reward the person giving information without disclosing his or her identity,” Rathore said.
He also said that militancy has been controlled with a lot of sacrifice, and any effort to destroy this hard-earned peace shall be countered as per law, and all such efforts shall be nipped in the bud.
