From Our Correspondent
TURA: The GNLA, which remains the most potent outfit targeting security forces and civilians alike with attacks and extortion, has threatened to unleash a wave of mayhem by targetting civilian areas with blasts unless the Meghalaya Government immediately withdraws its operations against the group.
A person claiming to be the GNLA Commander-in-Chief, Sohan D Shira called up select media persons, not The Shillong Times, in Shillong to warn of ‘impending’ doom if the government goes ahead with its deployment of Central forces into the dense jungles of East and South Garo Hills.
“Unless the government withdraws the troops and halts all operations against our organisation, we shall not hesitate to take the extreme step of igniting serial blasts in Shillong, Tura, Williamnagar and Baghmara,” the GNLA army chief reportedly said.
The decision to reschedule the municipal elections in Garo Hills on account of stiff opposition from the public has come as a much-needed boost to security forces at the expense of the militant group.
The Meghalaya Government has given a clear indication that the required troops to counter GNLA militants would now be made available for counter insurgency operations.
As of now, two special units of the CoBRA battalion belonging to the CRPF have been deployed in the jungles of Garo Hills to flush out the insurgents. They will soon be assisted by five companies of the BSF that are specially trained in jungle warfare.
The timing of the statement reportedly made by the militant chief has raised many a eyebrow. Shira has made it known that the target would be the commercial hubs of the State including the business district of Iewduh (Bara Bazar) and Police Bazar and the markets in the three districts of Garo Hills.
“The GNLA is desperate because they know their game is up and they face the prospect of being overwhelmed by our forces hence the threat,” a senior police official engaged in counter insurgency operations in Garo Hills said when asked if there is any such threat from the militant outfit.
In his statement, Sohan Shira said, “Just as the lives of the people of the State are valued so too are the lives of our cadres.”
Security agencies have indicated that GNLA top leadership have been deliberating on the pros and cons of the impending military operation against it by a large group of police and central paramilitary forces in the dense forests of South and East Garo Hills districts with special emphasis on the vast Balpakram National Park range.
It is believed that the GNLA threat of mass attacks is aimed at creating a panic situation which may lead to large-scale pressure on the political leadership to start negotiations with the group that has now become the most dangerous outfit in the State.
The previous grenade blast inside the Tura super market by the now defunct LAEF militant outfit headed by a former police commando, Peter Marak, remains a bitter memory of the militancy problem in the Garo Hills.
Two innocent civilians died in that attack and five others sustained injuries. Peter Marak was later arrested at Jorabat on his return from Nagaland and later taken to the jungles of East Garo Hills where he was killed under mysterious circumstances.
State police remain accused of killing the LAEF chief in cold blood when he was in their custody and no investigation was ever carried out on the incident.
The present “chairman” of GNLA, Champion R Sangma, who was a probationary DSP posted at 1st MLP Batalion, Mawiong, was a witness to the turn of events that eventually led to the killing of Peter Marak, it is alleged.