Five policemen injured in Meghalaya bomb blast

Five policemen were injured Friday in a bomb blast triggered by militants in Meghalaya's South Garo Hills district, bordering Bangladesh.

"GNLA (Garo National Liberation Army) militants planted a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) by the roadside in Rongrakgre area under Chokpot police station," district police chief Lakardor Syiem told IANS.

Of the five, two critically injured policemen, B. Baitha and Karbinath Sangma, were shifted to a hospital in Assam's Guwahati city, Syiem said.

Three others were admitted to the government-run hospital in Tura, the district headquarters of West Garo Hills.

Syiem said the policemen were moving towards Sibbari after offloading food supplies at Chokpot.

This was the second attack by the GNLA since Thursday.

A massive combing operation has been launched in the area to arrest the GNLA militants who triggered the blast.

In another incident, two United Liberation Front of Asom militants and one GNLA militant were nabbed by Meghalaya Police Friday at Rari area in North Garo Hills district.