By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Suspected Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) lobbed a grenade at the private residence of the Community and Rural Development Minister, Saleng Sangma at Ringregitam, at Tura on Saturday evening.
The Minister was not present in the house as he is currently camping in Shillong.
Police said no one was injured in the incident which occurred at around 7 pm though the window pane of the house was destroyed. The family of his brother is at present residing there.
However, police in a swift action arrested the GNLA cadre known as June for his involvement in the crime. June told the interrogators that he was acting on behalf of Hadeo, the GNLA’s self styled area commander of Dalu-Kherapara in West Garo Hills.
Sources said that the GNLA targeted the Minister for refusing to pay certain amount of money as demanded by the militant outfit.
There are reports that Hadeo had threatened Sangma in the past by saying that the Minister would not be allowed to enter his constituency unless he pays the amount demanded by the proscribed outfit.
This is the second time that the GNLA targeted Sangma.
Earlier on November 5, when the Minister visited Nainapara village, Hadeo tried to plant a land mine along the route that Sangma was to travel. Sangma had to trek several miles to avoid the land mine, after it was detected in time by the police.
When contacted, the new Meghalaya DGP Kulbir Krishan said the initial input with the police was that the GNLA might target the Tura supermarket by throwing grenade. “The outfit instead lobbed the grenade at the minister’s residence as there was heavy security in the market area,” Kishan said. “We have not taken the incident lightly and measures are being taken to check the trend with follow up actions” he said,
Besides GNLA, the ANVC(B) also resorted to attack the politicians and a case in this regard is that of Deborah Marak, the working president of MPCC on Saturday last.
According to ANVC (B), the reason for the attack on the politician was to ensure a free and fair poll as it did not want politicians to lure the voters with promises and sops.
Marak was attending a prize distribution ceremony of Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee Working President Football Tournament when she was surrounded by the ANVC(B) militants.