SHILLONG, MAR 10: Three Assam based armed smugglers were arrested from a remote village in East Garo hills district by police with arms meant to be delivered to banned Garo rebel outfit – Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA).
Acting on intelligence inputs, police conducted extensive search operations in various parts of the district and were able to intercept a Tata Mobil AS 09 7516 which was transporting arms meant to be delivered to GNLA commander in chief Sohan D Shira, IGP (operation) GHP Raju informed.
Mintu Das, who is the driver, and Jotin Marak who were transporting the weapons were arrested.
Three AK series rifles and 150 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the vehicle. During interrogation, the arrested confessed about one Sagar Chism, who is there leader in Guwahati, Raju said.
Raju informed that with the cooperation of Guwahati police, Sagar Chism was also arrested and a sum of rRs 1,22,900 was recovered from him. The amount was an advance payment sent to him by Sohan D Shira for the seized weapons.
During preliminary investigation, the three revealed that they belong to United Democratic People’s Solidarity (UDPS), a militant organization from Karbi-Anglong area of Assam, Raju said.
Meghalaya police has been making all out efforts to contain the free flow of arms and ammunition to GNLA, ASAK, UALA and other militant groups operating in Garo Hills, Raju informed.
While most of these weapons are coming from Dimapur, Karbi Anglong, Kokhrajar, Imphal areas of North East states, the explosives to GNLA are coming from Bangladesh.
Raju rued that free availability of arms and ammunition and explosives from the ceasefire groups or surrendered militants of other states has encouraged mushrooming of militant groups in Garo hills region and bolstered the firepower of these militant groups.
Raju said, “Most of these militant groups withhold from declaring and surrendering all the weapons and ammunition available with them during the ceasefire or surrender.”
The undeclared/undisclosed weapons and ammunition is then sold to the active militant groups such as GNLA, ASAK, UALA by these surrendered / ceasefire militant groups and Raju felt this has compounded the militancy problem in Garo hills
In the year 2013, Meghalaya police recovered 59 Arms (50 Arms were from GNLA), 1152 rounds of ammunition, 11 hand grenades and a large quantity of explosives. During January and February 2014, Meghalaya police have recovered 22 Arms, 323 rounds of ammunition and other explosives.
All these arms and ammunition were supplied by other militant groups from other states of north east.
Raju said the Meghalaya police are seeking the help and cooperation from the police forces of other north eastern states in tracing and arresting arms smugglers.
Raju informed that the Meghalaya police would continue and intensify Counter Insurgency Operations against militant groups operating in the state during the coming days so that the Lok Sabha elections are conducted peacefully.- By Our Reporter
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