TURA: Tura police have arrested five active overground members of the banned GNLA from Rongkhon area of the town for their alleged involvement in the recent extortion drive in and around Tura markets.
Police launched a search operation to nab the group whose members had slapped extortion notices on business houses and petty traders as well as government employees. The extortion amounts demanded were reportedly in lakhs, informed Tura police.
“The arrested men were operating directly under GNLA area commander Baichung Momin and they have confessed to working for the militant leader,” said Tura SP Mukesh Kr Singh.
As many as nineteen GNLA extortion notes have been recovered from the possession of the arrested men who were picked up from Rongkhon locality on Sunday after their place of stay was identified by police.
The members of the group came from different regions of Garo Hills including localities of Tura and Chokpot.
The arrested men are Anurag D Sangma (21) of Rongkhon, Salgrim M Sangma (23) of Danakgre, Emron Sangma (32) of Chokpot, Nepbin Marak (28) of Chokpot and Kagil R Marak (28) from Rongram.
GSU activists arrested : Meanwhile, in another case four persons alleged to be Garo Students’ Union members have been arrested by Tikrikilla police from the Raksamgre region on Sunday while reportedly extorting money from traders and transport operators.
West Garo Hills police informed that all four belonged to the student body and were collecting money in the name of the GSU from Raksamgre area when locals complained of harassment to the police.
“We arrested four persons while they were extorting money and a regular case is being slapped against the arrested persons,” said the district police chief.
The arrested men are Odit Sangma (33), Tengkan Marak (20), Manseng Marak (26) and Sengku Sangma. All four hailed from Raksamgre village, stated the police.