TURA: In a tragic case of mistaken identity two policemen died from firing by their own colleagues during a botched operation to take on GNLA militants deep in the jungles of Durama hills near Williamnagar on Sunday morning.
The incident, in military terms known as friendly fire, took place at Dorengchigre area, when one of the police commando units of East Garo hills district mistakenly trespassed into the ambush zone of another police unit that lay in wait for GNLA militants.
It was raining heavily at the time of the incident and the pitch darkness led to utter confusion leading to the tragedy.
Dorengchigre is 12 kms from Williamnagar town, across the mighty Simsang river, and is a hot bed for GNLA activity. It connects to Chachatgre village, home bastion of GNLA commander in chief Sohan D Shira.
“As far as we know one of the ambush parties ventured into the cordoned off zone of the other party probably losing track of their route due to the darkness and the heavy rain causing such a disaster,” informed a senior police official from the district.
Reports indicate that the camouflage dress of both police parties may have further confused the men given that even GNLA militants have been tactically using similar dress code inside the forests. Radio silence may also have compounded the situation.
As one of the ambush parties lay in wait they spotted movement of men heading in their direction. Within seconds shots ran out.
Both parties exchanged fire believing they were taking on militants and it was only after two of their comrades fell that realisation occurred of the mistaken identity.
The deceased have been identified as Constable Exmarting Marak and Havildar Gopal Prasad Nunia. Both belonged to the 5th battalion of the State Police based at Samgong, Williamnagar.
Police are looking into what went wrong be it at the planning or the execution level of the operation that caused such a fatality.
