Meghalaya militant gunned down

A bodyguard of Meghalaya's most wanted terrorist Sohan D. Shira was gunned down in a gunfight with SF-10 commandos in South Garo Hills district bordering Bangladesh on Tuesday, a police official said.

However, the elusive military wing chief of the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) managed to escape from the gun battle taking advantage of heavy rain.

"We had information that Sohan had been taking shelter in one of his camps at a thick jungle near Rongsu village," Abraham Sangma, the district police chief, told IANS.

The SF-10 commandos of Meghalaya Police overran the camp after a fierce gunfight leading to the death of one of the terrorists, who was later identified as Ading Ch. Marak alias Lukseng Ch. Marak.

During the search operation, police recovered one AK-56 rifle along with four magazines, ammunition, explosives and detonators, mobile handsets and some incriminating documents.

The Centre has declared the GNLA a "terrorist organisation" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

--IANS

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