The militants’ groups in Meghalaya have been regrouping in the Garo Hills region of the state, former chief minister Mukul Sangma has said.
“The State government should take a serious note of the regrouping of extremists in the Garo Hills. We have reported that the cadres are moving about with sophisticated weapons,” Sangma told reporters in Shillong.
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He slammed Conrad Sangma-led NPP government for allegedly undoing the efficient system the Congress had put in place to track the movement of militants groups and foil attempts to raise new outfits.
West Garo Hills district SP Vivekananda Singh said they have been receiving inputs on criminals regrouping for the past three months.
“We have been directed by the police headquarters to nip them in the bud,” he said.
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Singh added that abduction for ransom and extortion were the objectives of these criminals.
On August 1, the police arrested one person from Umdu village in Ri-Bhoi district and recovered explosive substance from his possession.
Meghalaya has had 21 extremist groups since 1992 when the Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council was formed.
The group split into the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) and the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) fnollowing inter-tribe differences.
While the banned GNLC, some of whose leaders have refused to surrender, caters to Garo tribal nationalism, the HNLC is specific to the cause of the Khasi community.