From Our Correspondent
TURA: The banned GNLA with support from Assam-based ULFA had planned to train a new batch of over 150 cadres in their new general headquarters camp located deep inside the Durama hills of East Garo Hills bordering the southern district when security forces attacked the site on Friday morning.
This was the largest militant camp ever to be busted by security forces in Garo Hills region with the perimeter of the complex stretching to over 2.5 kms which included barracks and sentry posts.
Security forces had to trek as far as 45 kms from district headquarters Williamnagar to reach the site of the camp where a major gun battle took place shortly after 12 noon leading to the death of one GNLA militant identified as Balsrang T Sangma of Daribok Sasatgre village.
There were as many as many as thirty-five cadres who were engaged in supervising the completion of the new camp and maintaining its security cover when SWAT and CoBRA commandos attacked on Friday.
Their presence was recognized from the meal preparations of the day.
Security forces retrieved a powerful American made M-16 rifle with 2 magazines containing 41 rounds, a Kenwood Wireless set and 14 rounds of AK ammo, A GNLA t-Shirt, mobile phones, and documents belonging to the GNLA and ULFA.
Police sources have revealed that as many as five top area commanders of the GNLA including their camp commander were present when the attack took place.
Highly placed sources reveal that besides the camp commander Darwin, the presence of GNLA militant leaders Savio Marak (ex-Dadenggre chief), Pakgkam (Chokpot command), Rangdat, Jack Momin (new Dadenggre commander) and Dalton were present when the attack took place.
The camp was destroyed by security forces on Friday.
The busting of the camp inside Durama hills in East Garo Hills has once again established the fact that the Garo militant outfit GNLA and the Assam-based ULFA work hand in hand assisting each other in more than one way for some time now.