TURA: The banned GNLA outfit triggered a powerful bomb blast targeting a two vehicle police convoy in remote Nangalbibra region of South Garo Hills that borders East Garo Hills district on Tuesday night severely damaging one vehicle and causing injury to three police personnel and two civilians.
This is the second ambush by suspected GNLA militants on a police patrol party in a little over a month in the Garo Hills.
The last attack by the militants took place on March 10 at Panda reserve forest of South Garo Hills in which four police personnel were killed and two others sustained injuries when a large group of militants opened fire on a lone police Gypsy travelling from Rongara police station towards Baghmara.
On Tuesday night, the militants targeted a routine patrol party of South Garo Hills police at Jadigittim village, 5 kms from Nangalbibra, which was returning after dropping off a BSF unit engaged in counter-insurgency operations.
“The two vehicle police convoy comprising of a Gypsy and a mini truck had just dropped off a unit of BSF troopers to the abandoned Coal India complex where they are based when they came under attack,” informed South Garo Hills police chief Lakador Syiem from district headquarters Baghmara.
As the convoy approached a petrol station near Jadigittim market, a powerful IED bomb planted on the road side went off damaging the first vehicle sending shrapnel all around.
Three police personnel travelling in the Gypsy bore the brunt of the attack and two civilians passing through the area also sustained injuries.
As soon as the blast occurred, a group of heavily armed GNLA militants perched atop nearby hills opened up with small arms fire targeting the two police vehicles. Police reinforcements from nearby Nangalbibra, Jadigittim and Era A’ning reportedly had to be rushed in to push back the militants during the fire- fight.
“The fire-fight lasted for close to twenty minutes,” informed police sources indicating that the militants were hell-bent on creating maximum carnage with an aim to take away the service weapons.
The operation by the GNLA militants was reportedly orchestrated by senior area commander cum finance secretary Rakkam who is wanted for a series of criminal cases.
The injured personnel and civilians have been shifted to Williamnagar Civil Hospital, 30 kms away for medical treatment.
They have been identified as Havildar S Lamare, Constables Silman Marak and Dingman Marak, civilians Rapsing Marak and Cherak Momin.