Militants kill five migrant workers in Meghalaya

Suspected United Achik Liberation Army militants shot five migrant coal miners

Suspected United Achik Liberation Army (UALA) militants shot five migrant coal miners Monday in Meghalaya's South Garo Hills district, police said.

The miners, whose identity are yet to be established, were killed at Darangdura coal mining area, 510 km from Shillong, police said.

Though no militant group has claimed responsibility, police suspect the involvement of UALA, a splinter group of the breakaway faction of the Achik National Volunteers Council (ANVC-B) headed by Singbirth N. Marak alias Norok alias Tengton.

"Preliminary investigation indicates that the UALA militants were behind the killing of the five miners," Davies R. Marak, the district police chief of South Garo Hills, told IANS.

"These attacks are aimed at creating fear and to extort money in the coal belt area of Garo Hills," he said.

Meanwhile, security forces have been sent to the area.