Tura: The Block Development Officer (BDO) of militancy affected Chokpot region in South Garo Hills district has been abducted by suspected GNLA militants near Deku on Tuesday afternoon.
The 2010 Meghalaya Civil Service batch officer, Jude Rangku T Sangma, left Chokpot block office around 4:30 pm enroute to Tura and had stopped over at a funeral of a relative in Deku Deganggre village, 25 km from Chokpot town.
He reportedly drove his government allotted green Mahindra Armada jeep (ML01-1570) in the absence of his driver and was accompanied by two other persons from Chokpot.
The kidnapping is learnt to have taken place after the young officer had paid his respects at the funeral home and was proceeding towards Tura.
The armed rebels took the BDO hostage and chased away his two companions while leaving the vehicle behind on the roadside.
Police came to know of the officer’s disappearance only by late evening, around 7 pm, when all attempts at reaching the BDO proved futile.
The vehicle has since been recovered by police.
Police sources reveal that GNLA commander Hedeo Ch Momin alias Karak was the mastermind behind the kidnapping of the BDO.
The young officer has been serving in the Chokpot block for around two years and had received several threats and extortion demand by the GNLA commander.
The militant leader had been at loggerheads with the officer for refusing to comply with his financial demands.
Despite the threats he continued to discharge his duties and was a frequent visitor to remote villages to inspect the project works undertaken by the block.
In view of the threat perception to the officer, the government was made aware of the need to shift him out to a safer location such as Tura but it never materialized as the post was given to someone else.
This is the third instance of a BDO in Garo Hills getting abducted by militants and the second by the banned GNLA.
In 2012, P.K. Boro, the BDO of Dadenggre block in West Garo Hills was kidnapped from the block office in broad daylight by GNLA militants. He was released only on the eve of Christmas, the same year, after 34 days of captivity.
Previously, the BDO of Selsella, Dr. D. Roy was kidnapped by ANVC militants from Selsella region during the height of the ANVC militancy.
