By Our Reporter
Shillong: A police constable was killed and three others were injured ina an attack by a mixed group of militants near Gasuapara in South Garo Hills border on Tuesday night, police informed on Wednesday.
A police official said that four police constables who were patrolling on foot were fired upon from a hillock by a mixed group of militants at around 11:40 pm on Tuesday.
While constable Pearson Sangma was killed in the firing, three other cops identified as Gopal Rai, Jopline Kharkongor and Dilip Marak sustained injuries.
Constable Kharkongor, who sustained minor injury was discharged after initial treatment, while the two others are undergoing treatment at GNRC, Guwahati. There was no report of any injury on the militants’ side.
Police are yet to ascertain which militant group was involved in the attack.
There is presence of both GNLA and ULFA in the bordering areas of Gasuapara where the incident took place.
Police have denied rumours that the constables were attacked in a case of mistaken identity by another group of armed constables on duty.
Questions are also being raised on how the four policemen, who are engaged in anti-insurgency operations, went patrolling on foot at night, that too, in a remote area of the district without the assistance of either members of SWAT of Meghalaya police and CoBRA unit of the CRPF.