By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: In a major breakthrough, the State Police arrested a top GNLA militant and five others including three arms dealers from different parts of Shillong on Wednesday.
The arrested militant Jackiush A Sangma is said to be a close aide of GNLA ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D Shira.
East Khasi Hills SP, AR Mawthoh, told news persons that a police team first apprehended Jackiush and two others (Bappun A Sangma and Harding M Marak) from inside a vehicle (ML08 6096) from the Polo area at around 6.30 pm on Wednesday. Police also recovered Rs 11.9 lakh in cash from their possession.
Mawthoh informed that during the interrogation Jackiush revealed that he had been sent by Sohan D Shira for procuring arms and ammunition from one Pungam Hanghal alias Agnam of Dimapur, Nagaland who had come to Shillong for the deal.
Based on the leads provided by Jackiush, a police team raided Blue Mount Hotel in Police Bazaar and nabbed Angam and another person identified as Hemkholun) Lupheng. One Retish Basumatry, who was attempting to flee from the scene in a vehicle (MN 03 P 0787), was also arrested after a short chase.
Police seized a bag from the vehicle which contained 400 live rounds of AK ammunition.
The SP also informed that police have seized the two vehicles and a total number of seven mobile phones from their possession.
The arrested persons have been remanded in 14-day police custody.