TURA: The elusive GNLA chief, Sohan D Shira, who fled to Bangladesh in June, has returned to Garo Hills at a time when the rebel group is facing its worst exodus of cadres.
A series of setbacks at the hands of Meghalaya police commandos in the recent weeks has pushed GNLA to the corner.
Sohan was forced to flee into neighbouring Bangladesh following an encounter at Rongsu in South Garo Hills on June 27 during which his personal bodyguard, Lukseng Ch Marak, was killed and the elusive rebel leader was saved by a whisker.
Police sources revealed that during the Rongsu encounter, a shot narrowly missed Sohan and hit his laptop. He escaped but left behind the damaged laptop that was later recovered by police.
He took refuge in Bangladesh together with ULFA deputy commander-in-chief Drishti Rajkhowa (Manoj Rabha).
But the recent reverses appear to have compelled the rebel chief to return and take control of his command. A police raid at Gare Ringdi in Nangalbibra on August 1 led to the killing of a GNLA cadre, Lastone, and three others with injuries are said to have escaped by jumping off a cliff.
At the same time, two GNLA cadres, Hemborne T Sangma alias Sling of Rapdikgre village and Morning A Sangma of Jadibazar, surrendered at Baghmara and Williamnagar, respectively.
Meghalaya DGP S B Singh told The Shillong Times that adequate counter-insurgency forces have been deployed.
“Besides the existing commandos, we are inducting the newly passed SF-10 personnel and another special group who have been trained with the Greyhound commandos of Andhra Pradesh who have been fighting against Maoist insurgency,” said the state police chief.
He added that the counter-insurgency operations are being coordinated with the Border Security Force since Sohan and his group has shelters near the international border.
