TURA, JUNE 23: A Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) militant was killed while the area commander Ajan Momin alias Jimmy managed to escape along with five others when security forces stormed their hideout in Meghalaya’s East Garo hills district on Monday.
In the gun battle that lasted for nearly 20 minutes, one GNLA militant was killed and another arrested. The killed militant has been identified as Cheman Momin while the one arrested as Pisto Sangma.
Police also arrested a girl who identified herself as Jimmy’s girlfriend.
Around 10 pm on Sunday, East Garo hills police along with personnel from Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) began its operation to located the outfit’s hideout at Mikilsimgre village, about 19 km from Williamnagar.
At least seven cadres were taking shelter at the “temporary hideout”.
East Garo hills SP Davies Marak said, “Based on our inputs that area commander was taking shelter at Mikilsimgre village, we launched our operation on Sunday late evening. We managed to reach the spot at around 5 am, it was raining and the sentry Piston Sangma was sleeping. We arrested him and he guided us to the hideout, which was roughly 15 meters away from the sentry point”.
Marak told this correspondent that security forces waited near the three huts for about 10 – 15 minutes, which were the “temporary hideout” of the militants and cordoned off the area.
Marak informed that a cadre came out and fired at the security forces and the police retaliated and managed to gun him down. He said, “Our firing continued for about 15-20 minutes and Jimmy along with five others managed to escape. We are sure that three of them have sustained injuries. However, we could not confirm whether Jimmy has sustained any injuries or not.”
Marak informed that the hideout was located in a remote area far from the neigbouring village and police continued their operation and return back to Williamnagar around 4:30 pm on Monday.
Police recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition, which includes 1 AK-56 with 6 magazines, 2 pistol 7.65 mm caliber with 3 magazines, 19 live wire, STBL gun with 8 live cartridge, 1 highly explosive grenade, 3 wireless set, IEDs, gelantine wax, one plastic containing explosive substance, 160 live ammunition of AKs, 7 live ammunition of .22 pistol, 28 empty case of AKs, one round seal of GNLA, one stamp of GNLA finance secretary, 4 mobile handsets, timer device, ID cards, GNLA badge and GNLA camouflage.
The GNLA ID cards belongs to Jimmy, Werong D Sangma and Banchrang A. Sangma.- From Our Correspondent
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