SHILLONG: Barely days after reports surfaced that out of action militant outfit from Meghalaya – Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) – is regrouping and recruiting new cadres into the organisation, another disturbing development has been reported in regards to the outfit.

The GNLA, in a bid to revive the outfit, has ‘appointed’ a new chief executive director and a secretary.

A WhatsApp message is doing the rounds, purportedly sent by someone from the GNLA, claiming that Jingjang D Shira has been appointed as the new “chief executive director” of the outfit.

The same message also claims that Nengsrang Sangma has been appointed by the GNLA as its new secretary, who will also be the second-in-command.

Moreover, around 500 freshly recruited cadres of the GNLA are also being trained at Rengdim in West Khasi Hills bordering East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills districts of Meghalaya.

It may be mentioned here that reports surfaced earlier that the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) is regrouping in Meghalaya.

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This was reported based on a leaked classified document which was widely circulated on social media platforms.

The leaked document stated that meetings were conducted at various locations in Garo Hills region of Meghalaya such as Jadi, Nongal and Chalang to ‘mobilise’ the youth to join the outfit.

Meanwhile, The Meghalaya director general of police (DGP) LR Bishnoi had stated that the police is verifying the intel relating to ‘re-grouping’ of the banned GNLA.

Informing this Meghalaya DGP LR Bishnoi said that all district SPs are verifying the intel.

“All the district SPs are verifying this input in their respective areas. Once verification is completed, they will submit their reports,” the Meghalaya DGP had said.

On the other hand, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma had denied to comment on the reports claiming that the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) is re-grouping in the state.

However, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma while reacting to the reports had said that the government “don’t take anything lightly”.

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“We have to filter out the intels and see which one has got any kind of actual weightage or not,” Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma had said on May 16.

The Meghalaya CM added: “These procedures are very complicated. Sometimes out of 100-200 report, we find out only one or two of them have actual weightage.”

“It’s difficult to say right now (about GNLA regrouping),” CM Sangma said.

Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma further said: “As a government, we don’t take anything lightly.”

It may be mentioned here that in 2018, Sohan D Shira – the then commander-in-chief – of the GNLA was gunned down in an operation by Meghalaya police after which the banned militant organisation faded.

A few followers of Shira remained and they were never arrested as they kept moving from one place to another.