TURA: A heavy exchange of fire took place between a group of GNLA militants and South Garo Hills police in Chokpot region early Monday morning after security forces intercepted the cadres’ movement towards a village to refresh themselves.
Acting on intelligence inputs, a team of police personnel conducted a search operation at Warima Durama village, 6 kms from Chokpot, to look for the militants during the early morning hours.
At approximately 5:40 AM, as the search was taking place, a group of militants, numbering between five to six ultras, descended from a nearby forest and was spotted by the security personnel leading to a fire fight.
In the gun battle the militants fled leaving behind a 7.65 mm pistol with an extra magazine, four rounds of ammo and one identity card of a GNLA cadre identified as Wanjang Sangma.
“We do not know if any of the militants was hit but a combing operation is underway,” district police chief Davis Nestell R Marak to The Shillong Times adding that police received intelligence inputs that the militants use to come down to the villages for food.
He said that the second in command of the GNLA in Chokpot region known as ‘Sky’ was part of the group that exchanged fire with police before fleeing. Recently, GNLA military chief Sohan D Shira appointed a new commander, ‘Jangjang’, for the Chokpot area.