TURA: Four senior cadres of the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), including an area commander, surrendered to police at Williamnagar in East Garo Hills on Friday.
The four rebels – commander Sengbat Ch Momin alias Kamdak, Wesefield Ch Marak alias Dakchak, Joshua N. Marak alias Kolgrik alias Balmika and Tush M. Marak alias Gotcheng – gave up three automatic rifles and ammunition, said police.
Meghalaya police said the surrender of the four rebels was a major setback to the GNLA, which is led by Sohan D. Shira, as the outfit has already weakened by several surrenders in the recent past.
“One of the rebels (Kamdak) had been appointed as the area commander by Sohan and another (Joshua) used to be his personal security officer,” Meghalaya Director General of Police S.B Singh told The Shillong Times.
Kamdak, who is from Rapdikgre village in Williamnagar, was involved in extortion and other activities in East Garo Hills and neighbouring West Khasi Hills districts where there are coal mines.
He was one of the earliest recruits and was trained in the second batch. Kamdak was earlier active in Chokpot in South Garo Hills and is wanted in several criminal cases, including kidnapping and extortion.
Joshua, who is from Bajengdoba in North Garo Hills, was earlier one of the personal bodyguards of Sohan before he started working under Kamdak.
The other two, Wesefield and Tush, are from Williamnagar and Gasuapara on the border in South Garo Hills, respectively.
Over the past six months, dozens of GNLA rebels, including senior commanders, have laid down arms and returned to the mainstream.
GNLA had 300 members and was once active in every district of Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills.
Police operations and efforts of the church in reaching out to the rebels urging them to give up arms have helped in improving law and order in Garo Hills.
Police said at present GNLA has barely 20 cadres.
