Fake encounter slur on State police

TURA: The ANVC-B has denied police accusations that it was behind the crude bomb attack outside the AOC petrol pump on Saturday evening even as another nascent group known as the A’chik Tiger Force has claimed responsibility for the same.

The Tura police have pointed the finger of suspicion on the ANVC-B for the crude bomb blast and later raided one of the camps of the group located at Daren Agal village killing four militants in a heavy exchange of fire.

However, the ANVC-B leader Doang D Shira released a communiqué questioning the claims of the police.

“If ANVC-B made the bomb attack, why were we not running?” questioned the breakaway outfit’s leader who’s camp bore the brunt of the police raid.

On Sunday morning, A’chik Tiger force western commander Dalbot Shira issued a press statement to The Shillong Times taking responsibility for the action. He said that it was a message for those paying ‘tax’ to other militant groups to respond to their demands as well.

“We deliberately planted the device on the side of the road to send a message to all those who are paying taxes to groups like ANVC, GNLA, UALA and others that we should not be overlooked,” stated Dalbot Shira in the local language.

He also said that the upcoming January 26th Republic Day celebrations would not be disturbed by the ATF and the outfit would dispatch cadres to the different districts of Garo Hills after completion of the celebrations.

West Garo Hills district police chief Mukesh Kr Singh had on Saturday said that the ANVC-B was the prime accused in the bomb attack, but the outfit was quick to deny the charges.

ANVC-B’s Doang D Shira accused the police and its parent outfit the ANVC for planting the explosive device and blamed the group.

“We suspect police and ANVC’s involvement in the blast. This is a desperate act of Tura police to create a scenario where they could hunt and kill us. The killing of ANVC-B cadres was a fake encounter,” alleged Doang D Shira who also added that one cadre managed to escape with bullet injuries during the attack.

“There are no arms, explosives and cache in the camp. If police claim they found anything than it is all planted by police,” stated the ANVC-B.

He accused the security forces of killing the ANVC-B cadres in cold blood and planting of the weapons to blame them.

Accusing the Tura SP of being behind the false propaganda he accused the parent ANVC and police of working together to put blame on the group.

“Previous year he (SP) planted a fake grenade at Tura bazaar to create fear psychosis before Christmas. ANVC’s involvement cannot be ruled out as all petrol pumps are manned by ANVC cadres. It is easy for them to create a scene with little blessing from the police,” said Doang D Shira.

Arms recovered: Tura police have recovered an assortment of weapons and explosive material from the camp of the ANVC-B which was attacked by security forces late Saturday night at Daren Agal village on the outskirts of town. The attack on the camp which was reportedly met with stiff resistance by the cadres of the group ended after four militants were shot dead by police commandos.

The camp was set up on several acres of land overlooking the main road connecting Dobasipara with Kherapara. The land where the camp was located is said to belong to ANVC-B Chairman Rimpu Marak.

The items seized from the camp included nine crude bombs each weighing 5 kg and 200 explosive detonators along with five pistols and a hand grenade. Other items confiscated from the camp were a signal gun, a double barrel shot gun, 20 live rounds of ammunition, fuse wire, 2 gelatin sticks, 10 bows and arrows, a large number of empty cartridges and documents of the outfit.

Interestingly, police have displayed several receipt books of another outfit United A’chik Liberation Army (UALA) which were reportedly seized from the ANVC-B camp at Daren Agal on Saturday night.

Tura police informed that the ANVC-B was using the UALA name to extort money and avoid detection by police while the blame would go to the rival outfit. The UALA’s commander in chief Singbirth Marak alias Norrok X Momin is a sworn enemy of ANVC-B chairman Rimpu Marak even though both were once former colleagues in the parent ANVC outfit.