Militants attack GH weighbridge

CRPF officer, 3 labourers hurt

Tura: Three labourers and a CRPF assistant sub inspector sustained minor injuries when a group of suspected militants lobbed a crude bomb and simultaneously opened fire from automatic weapons at Sarangma weighbridge in North Garo Hills District at around 3:15 am on Sunday.
Coal-laden trucks were being weighed in at the bridge for most part of the night and the excess coal was being offloaded by local labourers when the attack took place at the bridge located 7 km away from Dainadubi and around 17 km from Mendipathar police station.
A crude bomb, initially suspected to be a grenade, was first lobbed towards the front portion of the weigh bridge before the firing took place.
When the bomb exploded, the militants who had positioned themselves in the complex of the SSA school located at the back of the weigh bridge opened fire from automatic weapons prompting the CRPF team on duty to return fire.
After a brief exchange of fire the militants fled taking cover of the darkness.
However, the bomb explosion caused minor injuries to CRPF ASI Santokh Lal and labourers Timrik D Sangma, Kilapson Marak and Landrik S Sangma.
All four injured were taken to Dainadubi health centre for treatment and medics informed that their injuries were not life threatening.
North Garo Hills Police suspect the attack to be the handiwork of either the A’chik Matgrik Elite Force or a lesser known A’chik National Liberation Army. The chief of AMEF, Jack Marak, was gunned down by police last month.