Close shave for Meghalaya school students

School children in a remote village in Meghalaya had a close shave Monday as they escaped unhurt following a gunfight between police and the rebels in the premises, police said.

"The gunfight took place in the afternoon when heavily armed Garo National Liberation (GNLA) rebels opened fire at a police team to evade arrest," Davis R. Marak, district police chief of South Garo Hills, told IANS.

Based on specific information about the transaction of money between the GNLA rebels and a businessman scheduled to take place at Rongding Awe School playground, a police team rushed to the school but as they reached, the rebels opened fire in order to evade arrest, police said.

"Our police team restrained from opening fire in view of the presence of school students in classrooms," the police official said.