Williamnagar: The militant, who was once dubbed as a cat with nine lives having survived countless raids on his hideouts by security forces, has finally run out on his last one.
Sohan D Shira, founder of the banned Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) whose name and actions spread fear through the length and breadth of Garo Hills, has finally been eliminated in a police operation six days after the gruesome killing of Williamnagar NCP candidate Jonathone Sangma in an IED blast suspected to have been perpetrated by him and his outfit.
Police commandos from the elite Special Force-10 (SF-10) caught up with the militant high up in the hills of Dobu, close to the border with West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills, on Saturday morning bringing to an end the law of the jungle that flowed directly from the barrel of the militant’s gun.
The dreaded Shira was taking shelter in a makeshift camp on a hilltop at Dobu Bawanggre, close to Garegittim area – a tri-junction connecting East and South Garo Hills with West Khasi Hills district.
The group of militants, numbering a dozen, were sheltered in the makeshift camp when it was targeted by SF-10 commandos who launched an all-out attack at 11:51 am.
Sohan was the first casualty as he came in direct confrontation with the commandos who were just yards away from where he was positioned.
According to the commandos who took part in the operation, the militant leader was caught unawares as the commandos stealthily approached his hideout. On seeing the security personnel Shira tried to react by immediately opening fire from his Heckler and Koch automatic rifle.
However, it was too late.
The commandos’ retaliatory fire was precise. It blew off a portion of the militant’s head slaying him on the spot.
He also sustained multiple hits on his upper torso falling dead where he stood and thereby bringing to an end years of tyranny and bloodletting triggered by his outfit which has led to countless loss of lives in the Garo Hills. Sohan was the prime accused in the killing of Jonathone N Sangma, who was killed in the blast while returning from a campaign programme near Sawilgre village of Samanda on Sunday last.
Following the blood-curdling killing, police launched multiple operations to nab the elusive rebel who continued to be a step ahead of the security forces each time.
“Last night we had received information about the probable location of Sohan Shira and ULFA commander Dristi Rajkhowa and their group in Dobu Anchengbok in Bilwatgre village.
Accordingly, we launched an operation at 4 am and finally caught up with him in an encounter at around 11:30 am,” informed Meghalaya police chief SB Singh.
Clearly, the task was daunting for the police teams who had to climb several hills and wade through streams deep in the interior before being finally able to locate the camp site.
“After the IED blast at Samanda, we expected that the GNLA chief would try and flee towards the Khasi Hills border. So we threw a huge security dragnet all along the East and South Garo Hills border with West Khasi Hills and finally managed to intercept him. It has been a commendable work by the entire police force in Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills,” said Singh.
He also informed that Shira and his team were able to give police a slip every time in the past as they used the inter-district border to escape after committing crimes.
Shira hailed from Nengmandalgre village, located across the Simsang river, near Williamnagar town of East Garo Hills.
The GNLA had set a record of sorts in its reign of terror and mayhem making Garo Hills its killing fields. In 2014, the outfit had killed a woman in the presence of her husband and four young children at Raja Rongat, near Chokpot in South Garo Hills, which attracted widespread condemnation.
Shira and former DSP Champion Sangma had floated the GNLA in 2010 demanding the creation of a separate Garoland. Shira was earlier part of the now disbanded A’chik National Volunteer’s Council (ANVC).
Champion is currently lodged in Shillong jail after being arrested in Bangladesh in July 2012 and subsequently handed over to Meghalaya police. In his absence, Shira was the de facto chief of the outfit and had been involved in heinous crimes.
In 2015, Meghalaya police had announced a Rs 10 lakh reward for providing information on his whereabouts.
From the encounter site the commandos retrieved the body of the GNLA chief along with a powerful Heckler and Koch automatic rifle, a loaded Beretta pistol and two claymore casing boxes used for IED preparation.
Mukul, Conrad laud operation
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma congratulated the police for the successful operation. He said the effort and commitment of the police forces was commendable, as this would restore peace and normalcy essential for the future prosperity of the state.
“Due to insurgency people had started losing hope but with sustained effort of the government we could instill faith and the people stood firmly to achieve collective peace,” the chief minister said while speaking to the media at Chiading village.
He said the people have been supportive of the security forces all through and the government had invested substantially to strengthen the security forces, which was vital for restoring peace in Meghalaya.
“I believe that with some more endeavour we will be able to restore permanent peace in the state,” he added.
Sangma also stated that to achieve permanent peace efforts have to be made to adopt a multi-pronged approach, which can generate hope amongst the people, particularly the youth.
“We must remember that the North-East lies in a conflict zone and continues to be vulnerable due to the porous international border, which provides easy access to arms and ammunition,” the chief minister said.
He remarked that collective and concerted efforts were required both from the state and the central government to strengthen the internal security of the nation.
“I have taken up the matter of trans-border movements in the North-East where sophisticated arms and ammunition smuggled through Bangladesh, Myanmar and China are easily accessible,” he added.
Meanwhile, Tura Lok Sabha MP Conrad K Sangma also congratulated Meghalaya police for the successful operation. In a statement, Conrad said: “The effort of Meghalaya police is highly commendable. Despite all odds, the police have been able to achieve a breakthrough to kill the most wanted rebel. I believe that the tireless effort of the police has finally yielded result. This will surely enable the state to march towards all-round development free of fear and terror.”
