Police, HNLC militants cross fire in Jaintia Hills
From Our Correspondent
JOWAI: Heavy exchange of fire between the Jaintia Hills Police and suspected HNLC militants was reported at a jungle near Iongnoh and Chyrmang village, just few kilometers from Jowai town on Thursday night.
The firing took place at around 10:30 pm and lasted for more than half an hour, police sources informed.
Sources also informed that Jaintia Police, acting on a tip off, started a secret operation in the area to nab the cadres when the firing incident took place.
Jaintia Hills Additional Superintendent of Police confirmed the firing incident while speaking to The Shillong Times.
“Yes, it is true, and we are busy chasing them,” said the Police officer, adding that he had no time to speak on the phone.
Another police official informed that the firing was heavy, but till 11:30 pm no casualty was reported. There was also no arrest made till filing of the report.
“We believed that they are HNLC cadres who had come to Jaintia Hills few weeks ago with the motive of obstructing the Independence Day celebration in the State,” the police officer added.
“They (HNLC cadre) might have come from Bangladesh through the Umkiang border and were heeded for Jowai to create trouble so as to generate a fear psychosis among the people,” he added.
It may be mentioned that last year too, about two weeks before the Independence Day, some HNLC cadres had taken shelter in a jungle about 2 km away from Syntu Ksiar area in the district.
Police, who were equipped with specific information, raided the place but the cadres managed to escape before the police arrived on the scene.
However, police was able to arrest one of the cadres from Tuber area along with arms and ammunitions.
Later, on Independence Day eve, police arrested two members of the outfit from Mooralong Jowai and seized two AK-47 rifles, 85 round live ammunitions and 4 magazines from them.
