Shillong: An intense gun battle erupted in Meghalaya’s East Garo Hills district Thursday, as security forces launched a crackdown on a militant hideout, an official said.
There were no reports yet if anyone was arrested or killed in the crackdown in Adugre area, about 370 km from here.
“The gun battle is on as rebels are continuing with their firing. The Special Weapons and Tactics team and Combat Battalion for Resolute Action commandos are retaliating,” Davies N.R. Marak, the district police chief, told IANS.
The crackdown was launched on the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) camp two days after members of the militant group killed a 35-year-old Garo woman. The rebels shot her dead in front of her children after she resisted their rape bid.
“Josbina Sangma was shot dead by the (outlawed) Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) rebels after she resisted the rebels’ attempt to molest and rape her late Tuesday,” Lakardor Syiem, the district police chief of South Garo Hills, told IANS.
The murder took place inside Sangma’s house compound at Raja Rongat village when two of the five GNLA rebels’ armed with AK rifles fired at the woman’s head in front of her children.
“It is one of the most gruesome and inhuman cold blooded murder… they used AK rifle and fired five to six shots at her head in front of the children while her husband was prevented from coming out of the house,” Syiem said.
“One of the rebels who attempted to molest and rape her was identified as Tengton,” the police official said.
Raja Rongat village bordering the India-Bangladesh border is about 360 km from Shillong, the state capital of Meghalaya.
Meghalaya Home Minister Roshan Warjri condemned the killing, saying such a brutal act is not tolerated in a civilized society.
“This gruesome incident should be condemned by all right thinking citizens in strongest term. Such elements have no place in a civilized society and the police are already on their job to nab the killers,” Warjri told IANS.
Meanwhile, the home minister has directed Additional Director General of Police in-charge Law and Order Y.C. Modi and Inspector General of Police in-charge Western Range H Nongpluh to rush in to the village to assess the situation.
The GNLA, one of the five Garo tribal rebel groups, is fighting for a separate Garoland to be carved out of Meghalaya.
GNLA rebels, who number around 100, unleashed terror in five impoverished districts of Garo Hills in the last five years and killed over 100 people, including security personnel.