Central forces to stay till Nov 15
NEW DELHI: The Centre has reviewed the internal security situation in Meghalaya following reports of Garo militants getting arms from other groups and neighbouring countries.
Informing this here on Monday Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde expressed concern over the recent incidents of violence in which both civilians and security persons were killed along the sensitive Assam-Meghalaya border and inside Garo Hills. The Union Minister informed that deployment of 15 additional companies of the Central Para Military Forces has been extended till middle of this month (Novermber 15).
Though only the proscribed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) was once believed to have sophisticated arms, splinter groups in West Garo Hills are also getting these firearms easily now.
Reports now say that the extremist groups like ULFA (Independent), NSCN (IM) and Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) were providing arms to Garo rebel groups earlier but the rebels now have direct access to gunrunners from Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, the Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid on Monday met his Bangladesh counterpart Diphu Moni on the sidelines of CHOGM meeting. He is also understood to have taken up this issue with her.
The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has, maenwhile, assured its counterpart BSF of full cooperation in arresting the militants involved in the killing to its two guards on Friday last.
The assurance came from BGB during a sector-level meeting which was held at Bagli international border on Sunday.
The BSF submitted a list of six wanted criminals along with their photographs and addresses to the BGB for their immediate arrest and charging them against the attack on November 8.
A group of suspected ANVC-B militants had sneaked into the border from Bangladesh and shot dead two BSF constables in South West Garo Hills.
The attack was seen as a retaliatory one on the BSF which seized huge arms consignments the previous night in South Garo Hills.
A 9 mm carbine machine, one 7.65 mm Italian-make Barreta pistol, one China-make 7.65 mm pistol, all with ammunition, wireless set with signal booster, two mobile phones, sports shoes and other items were seized from the Angratoli reserve forest in the district..