Huge cache of arms hidden by GNLA seized in Meghalaya

A huge cache of arms and ammunition hidden by the outlawed GNLA and its dead 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira was seized by the East Garo Hills police today.

Today's seizure was made from the villages of Bawegre and Dorengkegre with leads provided by the locals and support provided by them, district superintendent of police Ringrang TG Momin said.

The seized arms include 347 heavy machine gun bullets, two bodies of AK series rifles, 485 AK 47 bullets, four pistols, six pistol magazines, six shotgun cartridges, 52 pistol ends measuring 7.65 mm each, 57 numbers of 7.62 SLR bullets, 63 GNLA seals, nine remote IED circuits and 28 electronic detonators, 104 bullets of .303 rifle, 2659 bullets of 7.7 m.m. rifle, the police said.

The district police had launched a search for hidden arms and ammunition of the outfit in different spots along Simsang river over the past few months, Momin said.

Earlier too, large caches of arms and ammunition were recovered with the assistance of villagers who alerted the police and assisted them in the search, he said.

"More and more villagers are coming forward to help the police in finding the hidden weapons which would pose a serious threat to the safety and security of the people if they fell into the wrong hands," he said.

Police search for more hidden arms would continue as their seizure is of "paramount importance" as some of the arms may have fallen into wrong hands, the SP added.