6 GNLA involved in Oragitok firing incident arrested
TURA: Elusive GNLA military chief Sohan D Shira has denied issuing death threats to judicial officials and top police officers in the Garo Hills but maintains that its earlier bounty of Rs 15 lakh for information of police movement and locations stands.
The militant leader issued a statement in response to Meghalaya police’s move to register a case against him over a post in a social media website by an account holder who had posted a bounty of Rs 20 lakh for targeting judicial and other government officials in Garo Hills.
“I have not issued any death threat against judicial officials or police officers working in Garo Hills. The person who posted the threat on Facebook and offered Rs 20 Lakhs as a cash reward for assassination of district judicial officials, police personnel is not a GNLA member,” Sohan said in the statement.
Interestingly, while the militant chief has denied the death threat he maintains that the bounty of Rs 15 Lakh announced by the GNLA for information on police personnel stands.
6 GNLA arrested: Meanwhile, six persons suspected to be involved in last week’s attack on a vehicle carrying traders from Chinabat market towards Rongram in which one person sustained bullet injuries have been arrested from next to a waterfall in Oragitok area.
Police claimed that they were GNLA militants.
West Garo Hills police picked up the six persons on Tuesday afternoon while they were having food next to Manchi waterfalls close to Oragitok village where the attack took place a week back. West Garo Hills district police chief Mukesh Kr Singh claimed that the six are GNLA militants with two of the arrested men, Sengseng T Sangma (22) and Jackey T Sangma (20) belonging to GNLA area commander Baichung’s group.
However, no weapon was found in their possession.
Police sources from headquarters, meanwhile, say that the arrested members are a mix group of criminals including members of ASAK, AMEF and even GNLA. Sengseng is believed to be a hardcore member of Baichung’s group.
The leader of the gang identified as one Braimy however could not be arrested and remains on the run. The shotgun used by the gang to fire on the traders vehicle is believed to be in the possession of Braimy.
The arrested members have been identified as Salnam Ch Marak, Dandil Ch Marak (22), Ismail A Sangma (22) and Francis Sangma (21), all hailing from Oragitok village.