From Our Correspondent
TURA: An explosive expert who was deputed by the Assam-based outfit ULFA to train GNLA militants in bomb making has been shot dead in an encounter with police near Tura on Tuesday afternoon.
The explosive expert identified as Sanjit Rabha (24) was with a group of GNLA cadres at Rongkugre, that falls under Dobasipara police outpost, when SWAT commandos raided the area at around 1 pm.
“There were between 5-6 GNLA militants and the ULFA member laying an ambush when our SWAT commandos raided the place,” said West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kr Singh.
Police claim that the encounter lasted for close to half an hour before the militants retreated to the thick jungles leaving behind the body of their ULFA comrade.
“The deceased (ULFA) militant was identified by GNLA militants who were arrested recently in the district,” said the Tura SP.
The ULFA militant had been sent by the outfit to help the GNLA in preparing improvised explosive devices in a large scale, something which the Garo outfit has been lacking for some time now. The GNLA has a vast arsenal of rocket propelled grenades and land mines but have seldom ventured out into the arena of IEDs which need more expertise.
The slain militant was meant to fill that void.
From the encounter site two pistols, one RDX bomb, demand notes of GNLA besides live and spent cartridges.
This is the fourth incident in the district in the last one week in which security forces have arrested or killed GNLA militants and recovered several arms including a grenade launcher.
The rise in the number of militant-police encounters is believed to be attributed to the recent arrival of senior GNLA cadres under a new area commander and hardcore member Baichung Momin who has been appointed by Sohan D Shira as the overall commander of West Garo Hills district.