Assam police on Wednesday night arrested one Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic) militant leader Lalmingthang Sanate from Tezpur. The arrested militant leader is suspected to be the mastermind behind the killing of NCP candidate Jonathone S Sangma on February 18.
Sangma along with two PSOs were gunned down by suspected rebels at around 7.50 pm at Samanda when he was returning to Williamnagar in a Scorpio from Sobokgre area in Meghalaya’s East Garo Hills district after election campaign. The militants first triggered an IED blast, and then opened fire on Scorpio in which Sangma with two PSOs and two villagers were travelling.
Lalmingthang Sanate was arrested from a rented house of an SSB jawan at Tezpur.
Police had received an intelligences input from Special Investigating Bureau and accordingly started searching for the militant since January. Sanate was allegedly involved in the killing of one of the ceasefire group leader Darthang. Darthang was the financial secretary of the ceasefire group of the militant organization.
In this context a case (No. 15/2018) had been registered against the militant leader at Lakhipur police station in Cachar district.
“We have arrested him and handed over to Silchar police. The investigation is being done by Silchar police,” Tezpur SP PP Singh told Northeast Now.
Darthang alias Nobar Sanate, finance secretary of HPC (D) faction led by H Zosangbera was killed by Lalhmingthang Sanate faction on January 27.
HPC (D) was split into two factions, one led by H Zosangbera, who is currently holding talks with Mizoram government, and the other is by Lalhmingthang Sanate.