Tura: One of the senior most leaders of the A’chik Matgrik Elite Force (AMEF) handling the finances of the militant organization has given himself up to police in Mendipathar on Sunday night.
The finance secretary of AMEF identified as Cheliash K Marak, who also went by the name of Jojo and Kimbiksa Matgrik (22), gave himself up before North Garo Hills district police chief J F K Marak at Mendipather police station handing over a carbine automatic gun with a magazine containing a single live round along with a improvised explosive device.
The militant leader also brought over a cadre of the same group to surrender and handed over a 12 bore pistol with nine live rounds. The cadre has been identified as John B Marak alias Gamchak (20) hailing from the same village as his leader, Hahim Ranighat village.
The surrender comes close on the heels of last week’s gruesome killing of a daily wage villager by AMEF militants who hacked him with a dagger and shot him dead merely on suspicion of collaborating with police.
The surrender of the AMEF finance secretary is expected to throw much light on the financial transactions and resources of the armed group which was formed by a group of GNLA militants who first broke away to form ASAK outfit before again walking out to create the AMEF led by GNLA militant Jack Marak.
The finance secretary who surrendered on Sunday night was also a GNLA rebel belonging to the 4th batch of recruits.
The AMEF outfit has of late been making attempts to consolidate their position in North Garo Hills district and had even gone on record threatening villagers of dire consequences if they collaborated with authorities.