Our Bureau
TURA/SHILLONG: Suspected GNLA cadres shot dead a surrendered cadre identified as Riknam A Sangma alias Wanding at around 12.30 am on Friday after entering his house at Songsak Dikkagittim in East Garo Hills.
The militants also lost one of their cadres when Riknang put up a brave fight and attacked them with a dao (machete) resulting in the death of one of their own member.
The GNLA militants came to Riknang’s house at around 12:30 AM and called him out. When he refused to open the door they broke it down and started entering when Riknang attacked them with the dao.
He struggled with one of the militants identified as one Babang and swung the dao on the cadre hitting him on the forehead. As he fought with Babang, another militant came from behind and shot him on the back of the head. In the process the bullet hit Riknang and also Babang killing both of them on the spot.
According to the wife of the surrendered cadre, the GNLA cadre also died on the spot and his body was taken away by the GNLA militants.
Earlier in June this year, a surrendered cadre identified as Sonaram R Sangma, was killed by a group of GNLA cadres at his house near Nangalbibra police station in South Garo Hills district.
On January 28, the GNLA militants torched the house of Sonaram alias Chonkam at Darangdura in the South Garo Hills. The family members of the cadre were also chased away by the militants.
After surrendering before police on January 7, Sonaram had deposited a hand grenade and helped the police recover another AK-47 rifle and 150 rounds of ammunition from a hideout in the jungles of the South Garo Hills.
Later on February 28, the rebels torched the house belonging to another surrendered GNLA cadre identified as Sengrim G Momin alias Waljan at Lower Lima in East Garo Hills. Momin had surrendered before the police at Resubelpara in East Garo Hills in the first week of February, without depositing any arms.
Earlier on February 8 this year, the house of another surrendered militant, Andreas Momin alias Nangnang, was torched by the GNLA cadres at Bokkingre village around 2 km from Williamnagar, East Garo Hills district. The militants also chased away his family members, as he had surrendered before the police in Williamnagar on August 13 last year, along with an AK-56 rifle, and one Chinese hand grenade.
The militant outfit resorted to fratricidal killing after they warned that all the cadres who have taken away the arms to surrender should refund the money in lieu of the weapons deposited before the police.
Earlier, the GNLA’s self-styled sergeant major and commander of the southern range, Rakkam Marak, said the outfit had also set a deadline to the cadres to refund the money for taking away the weapons.
After the incidents of attack on surrendered GNLA men and their families, many of them had taken shelter in the houses of relatives or at police stations.
GNLA attacks
on ex-cadres
June 17: Surrendered cadre Sonaram Sangma killed
February 28: House of Sengrim G Momin alias Waljan torched
February 8: House of Andreas Momin alias Nangnang torched
January 28: House of Sonaram Sangma torched, family chased away