NONGSTOIN: A new underground outfit styled as United North East Liberation Army (UNELA) has surfaced in the West Khasi Hills district. On Thursday, one of its members was killed in an encounter with the district police at Nongshram near Shallang.
Shallang police had received reliable inputs regarding an extortion bid at Umdang near Shallang on April 17. The input also mentioned that the extortionists would be travelling in a red Scorpio. Police personnel detected the vehicle speeding at Shallang market and hailed it to stop.
But the vehicle did not do so and instead accelerated away. The Shallang police asked the Nongshram police to cordon the road. Ignoring the cordon, the Scorpio ran over the barricade and its inmates began firing indiscriminately at the police. The police also fired back until the vehicle came to a stop. An exchange of fire ensued which left one of the extortionists dead. Three other persons inside the Scorpio managed to escape.
The dead person was identified as Md. Abul Mandal of Goalpara, Assam. From the Scorpio, one 0.22 pistol with six live rounds, one SLR magazine containing seven live rounds and some demand notes bearing the name and insignia of United North East Liberation Army were recovered by the police.
The body was claimed by relatives of the deceased who arrived from Goalpara to Shallang. ) Speaking to The Shillong Times, Superintendent of Police S Nongtnger said that this was the first time the police had come to know of a group called UNELA. He, however, added that the outfit had conducted a recce of the area in January this year. He also said that the Police of the district were making all efforts to ensure the safety of the people of the district and the coal traders in particular.
Nongtnger said that a search operation was underway to nab the others who had escaped. It was suspected that the other three persons could be armed with sophisticated weapons.