TURA, May 27: The Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) led by the now-deceased Sohan D Shira has arguably been the most dreaded militant outfit to ever grace the shores of Garo Hills. The outfit, during its prime, was so powerful that not one road across Garo Hills felt safe for anyone.
After the death of Sohan and the surrender of most of the outfit’s top members, those that remained have either gone into hibernation or have completely gone incognito. Most that surrendered have begun normal lives with their families and are looking at piecing together their broken dreams.
However of late, a sensational WT message by an officer of the rank of a DSP in West Garo Hills (WGH) where in a former member claimed that the outfit was reforming and more than 500 youths were taking training in Nagaland or in neighbouring Myanmar, caused an immediate outcry with residents of the state seeking confirmation of such development.
The fear amongst residents was that even if the outfit was not regrouping such sensational news would open the doors for extortionists to use the name of the outfit to demand money from the populace. This fear has been all encompassing.
A ground report done earlier showed that the claims made by the police source about the outfit reforming provided questionable numbers and the names of the areas from where the apparent recruitment took place has not seen anyone not being accounted for.
Two days earlier though, someone however posted on the pages of a local news page once again tried to claim that the GNLA had indeed recruited 500 youths who were being trained in a secret place near Rengdim in East Khasi Hills. Apparently the outfit is now being led by one Jingjang D Shira, who chose to not disclose his face, though another person, standing alongside him can be clearly made. Two other faces were also shared as new members.
Jingjang is apparently the chief executive director of the outfit while the other person in the photos sent has identified himself as Nengsrang Sangma.File photos of the late Sohan among others have also been sent as if to prove that their claims were genuine. However what was stark was the absolute lack of any arms or ammunition or anything to prove that recruits were indeed being trained.
The claims made by those that posted the photos have been rubbished by not only the police but a former highly placed member of the outfit as well, who wished to remain anonymous.
“This is a cheap stunt. If they are training, where are their arms and ammunition? Are they training with sticks? Even the camouflage they are wearing is not real. The photos they have sent are not even from Garo Hills and how come they don’t know that Rengdim is in West Khasi Hills and not East. Someone is really trying to rake up the GNLA name for reasons only known to them,” informed the former GNLA member. Meanwhile, when informed on the matter, the DGP of Meghalaya, LR Bishnoi stated that the matter is being investigated.
Highly placed police sources from Garo Hills rubbished the claims of those that have posted the messages on the local news website.
“We have maintained that no one is unaccounted for in Shallang, Nangalbibra and Jadi (the places from where the outfit claimed to have recruited youths). 500 is a huge number and such numbers would stand out. This is definitely someone trying to use the name of the GNLA for nefarious purposes,” added the highly placed police source while adding that the matter is being looked at very closely.
