GNLA rebels gun down ex-finance secy
TURA: Members of the banned GNLA shot dead the outfit’s former ‘finance secretary’, who surrendered in May, at his residence near Williamnagar on Monday.
A large group of heavily armed GNLA rebels that police suspect was led by chief Sohan D Shira raided former finance secretary Rakkam D Shira’s house at Damagre, 2 km from Williamnagar, on Monday evening.
Rakkam, alias Rikchie, looked after the outfit’s finances and was based in the coal-rich belt of Nangalbibra in South Garo Hills for many years.
In May this year, Rakkam and five other rebels, including senior cadre Sacheng, surrendered before then Home Minister Roshan Warjri in Shillong. The surrender of the entire finance wing of the GNLA was seen as a body blow to the group and its chief Sohan.
Rakkam, who was kept confined within the protected walls of the 2nd MLP Battalion headquarters at Goeragre for the rehabilitation process, left for his home at Damagre shortly after noon on Monday and reached there around 3pm. Rakkam’s house was behind Samgong locality where the headquarters of an Indian Reserve Battalion was located.
“He (Rakkam) was supposed to be inside the Goeragre camp. He did not inform anyone about his sudden trip to Williamnagar. Even the police were unaware of his visit to his home,” said a source in the district police.
Around 13 GNLA militants, with their faces covered, raided Rakkam’s house around 6.45pm. Eyewitnesses said three armed men ran up the house and the others positioned themselves around the periphery of the compound.
The execution squad shot him multiple times from a close range using AK-47 rifles and Heckler and Koch automatic weapons. Police later recovered as many as 15 rifles and seven Hekler and Koch empty ammunition casings from the scene of the crime.
Sohan had recently made public through social media his intention to target those leaders and cadres who abandoned his outfit. He had also announced the formation of an “eraser unit” to target GNLA deserters.
Last month, Sohan led a group of rebels to Rongsak village on the Tura-Williamnagar road and executed a former cadre who deserted the organisation for another group and had surrendered to police in December.