TURA: Police on Monday recovered four automatic weapons from two sites in a forest in South Garo Hills as operations to flush out militants continue in the district.
The weapons, belonging to GNLA, were found neatly wrapped in polythene sheets and buried in the forest surrounding Dosogre Chipitgittim village.
The police, who came to know about the weapons from a militant arrested last Friday, found two rifles, an AK-56 and an SLR.
The arrested cadre, Bande Ch Marak alias Border, was separated from the main outfit during an encounter with police a couple of weeks ago. He was arrested from a village where he was taking refuge.
The rebel told police interrogators that GNLA had concealed two weapons in a forested area just outside the village from where he was arrested. A search led to the discovery of the weapons along with AK ammunition and SLR bullets.
The discovery comes five days after a similar recovery of weapons in East Garo Hills.
Police in Williamnagar unearthed an AK rifle and an MA2 (MK-II) rifle along with ammunition from outside Rapdikgre village in East Garo Hills on the night of September 27 based on the statement given by two GNLA militants, Challang C Marak and Chanchan Ch Momin alias Teenfoot. The duo surrendered on September 24.
Meghalaya Director General of Police SB Singh told The Shillong Times that GNLA was now a “spent force” due to the rising number of surrenders and recovery of weapons.
“The number of his (Sohan) cadres is dwindling fast and only a handful of his old followers are with him. He is unable to recruit new cadres and each time he tries to set up a new base it is raided by our teams,” said Singh.
Militants in Garo Hills have long been known to conceal weapons underground so as to use or sell during a rainy day. A few years ago, a handful of ANVC militants tried to sell hidden AK rifles and grenades to GNLA shortly after its disbanding ceremony in Tura.
Police were able to intercept the consignment near Chisobibra village, close to Williamnagar, and arrest the surrendered rebels who had turned rogues.
