From Our Correspondent
TURA: A trader running a shop in Rongjeng market of East Garo Hills was arrested on Friday for allegedly working for militants of the Liberation of A’chik Elite Force (LAEF).
Acting on information about the nexus between the trader and the militants, Rongjeng Police raided the shop and home of Rajkishore Tiwari and recovered a large number of demand notes of the LAEF which was addressed to various businessmen of the area. Following the recovery of the incriminating documents, police took the trader into custody but suddenly found a strong protest against the move by other traders and civilians.
The protesters refused to accept the trader’s links with the LAEF and have demanded his unconditional release while threatening to close down the Rongjeng market for an indefinite period.
Senior officials have rushed to the spot to ease the tension.
The LAEF has been running an extortion and kidnap racket in the Rongjeng area for several years despite the killing of their leader Peter Marak by Police in 2007 inside Garo Hills under mysterious circumstances after his arrest from Jorabat area of Ri-Bhoi district.
