Minister’s supporter killed

SHILLONG, JAN 17: Of the three supporters of Meghalaya Community & Rural Development (C&RD) minister Saleng Sangma- who was denied Congress ticket- who were shot by the proscribed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) militants recently one of them identified as  P Marak succumbed to bullet injury Thursday.

The police have filed a suo-motto case against the militants. Sangma’s supporters were attacked in Gambagre.

Police sources informed that Sangma’s supporters were shot at their legs and threaten by the GNLA militants led by A Marak and directed to support the Congress candidate. The injured never reported the matter to the police and instead of going to a hospital sought the help of traditional healer to treat their wounds.

Police now are looking for the other two who were attacked by the GNLA and did not report the incident to the police out of fear.

Confirming the attack on the three supporters of the minister and the subsequent death of one of them, Meghalaya Director General of Police Kulbir Kishan told this website, “A suo-motto case has been registered and police are on the job to trace-down the GNLA cadres involved in shooting the three”

Kishan assured, “We are not ignoring the situation, as police are conducting a follow up and will ensure that the GNLA are not allowed to continue with such activities.”  He said West Garo hills SP has been directed to trace and locate the other two injured persons.

Kishan said, “We are going after the GNLA in a big way.”

Saleng Sangma who is out of station- expressed concern over the attack and said such incident has created fear psychosis among the people and his supporters even as he informed that he will take up this matter immediately with the concerned state government authority.

Sangma observed that the injured are so scared that they even refuse to go to the hospital for treatment leading to the death of one of them.

Police sources revealed that as many as sixteen supporters of Saleng were also brutally beaten up by the GNLA asking them to support Congress candidate from the constituency.

Even as Sangma called the chief minister to do something about the threat from the militants he   appealed to ngos and Church leaders in Garo hills to call the GNLA for dialogue and ask them not to target innocent people. – By Our Reporter