Security forces today shot dead Meghalaya's most-wanted militant and self-styled chief of the outlawed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) in an encounter in East Garo Hills district, police said.
The encounter of Sohan D Shira, who carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, came after NCP candidate Jonathone N Sangma was killed in an IED attack, suspected to be carried out by GNLA in Samanda area of the same district on February 18.
Following Sangma's death, counter-insurgency operations had been stepped up in poll-bound South and East Garo Hills districts.
Acting on inputs about movement of armed GNLA cadres in Dobu area, counter-insurgency forces, mostly from the state's elite Special Force10, were pressed into service last night, a senior police officer involved in the operations told PTI.
He said the police team ran into heavy firing at about 11:50 am in Achakpek village, where Sohan was killed during retaliation.
"He (Sohan) is dead after a challenging encounter. Our team is on a manhunt to trace his bodyguards," Deputy IGP (Western Range) O Passi told PTI from Tura.
East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Kumar said a post-mortem examination was being conducted on the body of the slain militant and necessary formalities would follow.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, in a series of tweets, said: "I wholeheartedly congratulate the fearless women and men of the Meghalaya Police organisation that has led an untiring effort and commitment to eliminate enemies of the state like Sohan D Shira."
Earlier this week, Meghalaya Director General of Police S B Singh had said that there were "credible leads" about the involvement of GNLA in Sangma's killing.
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