Friday, January 28, 2011

Garo militant killed in Meghalaya, outfit ‘chairman’ escapes in encounter

A militant of the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) was killed, four others arrested while the outfit’s ‘chairman’ narrowly escaped in an pre-dawn encounter in Meghalaya's East Garo Hills district.

Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) commandos of Meghalaya Police raided a GNLA hideout inside a forest at Rongrekgre where an unspecified number of cadres, including their chairman Champion Sangma, a deserter deputy superintendent of police, were hiding.

During the ensuing encounter, one GNLA militant ?" Washing Marak - was killed, while four others - Leting Marak, Paldil Marak, Mily Marak and Peper Marak - were arrested.

Police found one AK 47 rifle, one light machine gun, one pistol and a magazine from the busted camp.

One bullet proof jacket, suspected to be that of the chairman, was also found in the camp.

Earlier, police also recovered one of the two INSAS rifles stolen by a constable who has been missing since Friday and is believed to have joined the GNLA.

The rifle was recovered from a villager, Putin Marak, at Thaba Danengeni in the district. Putin, from whom police also found 17 rounds of ammunition and a magazine, has been arrested.

Constable Savio Marak had deserted his company deployed in the ethnic-violence hit Mendipathar area on Friday.

In another incident last night, Jaintia Hills district police arrested two cadres of the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) from a taxi at Jowai.

Two AK 47 rifles, 85 rounds and four loaded magazines were seized from the two militants - Rilang Dohlilng and Maianbor Tongseng.

PTI

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