TURA: The entire group of A’chik Matgrik Elite Force militants, barring four cadres, surrendered before police on Friday.
The surrender came into being after an encounter on Thursday in which the new commander in chief of AMEF sustained bullet injuries during a gun battle with police after a raid on a hideout in Nongshram.
The new chairman of AMEF, Matchang along with commander-in-chief Cheang and cadre Sakrem were taking shelter in a ‘bachelor house’ at Nongshram belonging to one Pendu Sangma when police raided the hideout.
Following the attack on their shelter, the AMEF militants approached a village elder from Nongshram who in turn contacted church elders leading to their surrender.
Although a majority of the group’s members gave themselves up with their chairman and military chief, there is concern about the whereabouts of four other members who refused to surrender and have reportedly parted ways with the group.
The four rebels are said to be armed with a powerful light machine gun and two AK rifles.
The surrendered militants, in the meantime, handed over one SLR rifle, a SBBL shotgun, seven pistols and 30 live rounds of different calibre ammunition.
AMEF chairman Matchang, who sustained a bullet injury on his left leg during Thursday’s encounter with police, was taken to Rongjeng health centre, shortly after the surrender ceremony, and the bullet extracted.
