Incidents and Statements Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA): 2010-2012
2012
- December 30-31: one ULFA-ATF militant was killed, in an encounter with BGB, about a fortnight back at Salsati under Jinaikhati Police Station in Sherpur District of Bangladesh bordering West Garo hills District. Though the identity of the killed militant is yet to be established, a bag found on him has been confirmed to be that of Drishti Rajkhowa. Another ULFA-ATF militant, Gauranga Koch and an unidentified GNLA militant were arrested in that incident.
December 29: SFs on arrested three militants, including a woman, belonging to GNLA from Karaigora area of South West Khasi Hills District. The arrested trio was identified as M Sangma (20), Chota N Sangma (30) and Rot N Mena Sangma (20). SFs recovered a 0.22 mm revolver and six GNLA demand notes from the trio.
December 23: The Meghalaya DGP Kulbir Krishan claimed that militant activities in insurgency-ravaged Garo Hills have gone down ahead of the Christmas festivities. He also said that militants, both from the GNLA and ANVC-B, are taking a break and paying visits to their family members.
December 21: Cases of children being used as cadres and shield by the GNLA have come to the notice of the NCPCP. Further, the Commission has intimated the State Government about the development. NCPCR has asked the State Government to give a detailed report on the issue and initiatives being taken to prohibit the misuse of children as soldiers.
SFs in an encounter, killed a militant belonging to GNLA, identified as 'Lance Corporal' Bilpak B Marak, at Suorkona village, under Lakhipur Police Station in Goalpara District.
December 18: The State Government appraised Central Government about the arrest of 'foreign secretary' of the GNLA, Briansim Marak alias Bikdot Nikjang, who is presently lodged in a Bangladesh jail. The State Government informed the Centre so that it could up take up the issue with Bangladesh authorities for his early handover to the BSF.
December 17: GNLA 'chairman', Champion R Sangma moved a bail petition before the Shillong Bench of Gauhati High Court.
State Police will seek the help of BSF to get the custody of GNLA 'foreign secretary' Briansim Marak alias Bikdot Nikjang, who was arrested in Bangladesh.
December 16: Police arrested GNLA 'area commander' of Ranikor, Pollop Sangma and another cadre Lakshmon Sangma, both hailing from Upper Puksora, following a raid.
December 15: GNLA, the outfit's 'foreign secretary' was arrested by Bangladesh Security Forces from Madhupur area of Bangladesh and was forwarded to a jail there. According to an Intelligence official, the GNLA leader identified as Briansim Marak alias Bikdot Nikjang was arrested by the Bangladesh Police based on the inputs from Meghalaya Police. Nikjang had earlier acted as both political and publicity secretary of the GNLA.
December 14: One trader, identified as Anwar Hussain (27) of Hatisila in East Garo Hills, was abducted in the morning of December 14 from near Rongsai in East Khasi Hills by four suspected GNLA militants. According to the Police, an operation has already been launched to trace the abducted businessman.
December 12: The ANVC 'chairman' Rimpu Marak said that Tura bazaar grenade incident of December 11 was a 'well planned drama'. "Tura police is trying to create fear psychosis to disturb the festive mood of the people as it was a diffused grenade which was planted by a 'bihari' to attract attention and instigate public against ANVC-B and GNLA," he said.
December 11: A high explosive hand grenade was recovered from the heart of Tura main market. Speculation is rife that the attempt to create mayhem was undertaken either by the GNLA or the ANVC-B though both the outfits denied involvement in the incident. The grenade, HE 35 explosive, was later diffused safely. No one has been arrested in this connection.
ANVC-B has asked the legislators to raise issues concerning Garo Hills in the ongoing Assembly winter session. "We are hoping against hope that some of our leaders would raise issues concerning Garo Hills in this session and bring home the greatest Christmas gift that we have always aspired for which will ensure lasting peace in Garo Hills," ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu Marak said in a statement.
December 10: Suspected GNLA militants gave Police a slip before the latter conducted a raid at Dholo Katra Duwa, 5 kilometres from Dangar near Sohiong on December 10. However, Sudhir Ch Marak, father of one of the militants who gave assistance to the militants was arrested by Police.
December 5: A coal labourer was shot dead by suspected GNLA cadres in the night in South West Khasi Hills District, Police said. According to Police, the labourer identified as Sunil Sangma, hailing from Assam, was shot dead by a group of GNLA militants at his tent at Rajaju. The militants accused him of helping the Police.
December 3: An unidentified person sustained bullet injury following an encounter between Police personals and GNLA militants at Mawhar stone quarry in Nonghyllam of South West Khasi Hills District. Police recovered a country made .22 pistol, blank demand notes of GNLA, one detonator, two empty case of AK-47 and one camouflage dress from the encounter site.
December 1: Suspected GNLA militants lobbed a grenade at the private residence of the Community and Rural Development Minister, Saleng Sangma at Ringregitam, at Tura in West Garo Hills,. The Minister was not present at his residence at the time of attack. Police said no one was injured in the incident, though the window pane of the house was destroyed. The family of his brother is at present residing there.
SFs arrested June P Sangma, a GNLA militant working under Hadeo Ch. Momin, GNLA "area commander" of Kherapara-Dalu area, in this connection. June P Sangma confessed his involvement in the crime.
Two militants, suspected to be cadres of the ULFA and GNLA, were killed in an encounter with the army and Police at Maladhara under Lakhipur Police Station of Goalpara District. The slain duos have been identified as GNLA 'corporal' Nazrana K. Marak and ULFA 'lance corporal' Sumanto Roy.
November 30: ANVC faction, currently under ceasefire, has invited GNLA' commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira and ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu. N Marak to join its fold for peace talks to ensure lasting peace in Garo Hills region. While appreciating the statement of Meghalaya Chief Minister (CM), Dr Mukul Sangma that the State Government is preparing a draft agreement with the ANVC, its publicity secretary Arist Sangma said that all the militant outfits of the state should join the peace process.
November 25: SFs arrested three GNLA militants including 'area commander' of GNLA Haiderson Sangma in Assam-Meghalaya border in Murgidara of South West Khasi Hills District. Sangma is alleged to have involved in transhipment of arms and ammunition to GNLA from Nagaland. The other two militants arrested from south West Khasi Hills were identified as Aket N Marak (18) and George D Shira (25). Demand notes, a mobile phone handset and three SIM cards were also seized from their possession, police said.
November 20: SF arrested a GNLA linkman, Pasan Marak, while he was trying to buy over a dozen activated SIM cards from a dealer in Ringrey market in Tura.
November 19: GNLA militants abducted the manager of a coal export firm, identified as, Ratan Das, at Gasuapara in South Garo Hills District. GNLA carried out the abduction reportedly for ransom after the company failed to comply with the demands of the militant group.
November 16: ANVC has denied any involvement or nexus with GNLA and said that the arrest of one of its member by Police could be nothing more than an isolated case. ANVC is currently under a ceasefire with the State and Central Governments.
November 15: SFs killed a GNLA militant in an encounter State's border with Meghalaya in Bamuni Panikhowa village under Krishnai Police Station of Goalpara District. SFs recovered a 7.65 mm pistol, three live ammunitions, two extortion demand drafts and two empty cartridges from the encounter site.
November 14: A joint team of Assam and Meghalaya Police intercepted a TATA pick-up van at Khetri on the National highway NH-37, recovered arms and ammunition meant for GNLA. The recovery included ten magazines of AK-47 assault rifles, one magazine of carbine, two AK 47 rifles, one shot gun, six pistols of various calibers including .9 mm, 7.65 mm, .22 etc, 254 rounds of assorted ammunition, one grenade, one wireless set. Inspector General of Police (IG-Law and Order), L R Bishnoi said five persons were arrested during the operation while two more persons were arrested in the connection by Nagaland Police in Dimapur. Two of the arrested were cadres of the GNLA. There was, however, no senior leader of the outfit among the arrested.
Latest police finding states that GNLA and ANVC-B high command has lost their influence on local leaders and cadres. State Police's latest analytical findings revealed that many local leaders and cadres of the GNLA and ANVC-B do not function under any direct command, instead use their own discretion to extort money and torment the civilian population in the five Districts of Garo hills region.
South Garo Hills Police arrested a militant belonging to the ANVC for being part of the GNLA group, which planted as many as three powerful IEDs on the Kherapara route on November 2 to target security forces.
November 13: Suspected GNLA militants abducted a cloth trader, Ranjit Prasad, from Raksamgre village market under Dadenggre sub-division of West Garo Hills District.
November 10: Police shot dead a GNLA cadre and arrested another, following an encounter at Dolonggre in West Garo Hills District. According to Police, the GNLA cadre identified as Watre Sangma was killed and another cadre, British Sangma, was arrested after a gun battle at the village at around 12.30 pm.
A powerful landmine planted by GNLA militants outside the gate of Williamnagar SP, J F K Marak's residence in East Garo Hills District with an intention to take his life has been safely detonated by a bomb squad of the Indian army.
November 9: Suspected GNLA militants opened indiscriminate fire at the parental home of East Garo Hills District SP, JFK Marak in Nokil A'we locality of Williamnagar town. Later GNLA militants placed a powerful landmine on the side of the main gate, which was detected by Security Forces.
The BSF has submitted the names and locations of the North East militant campus to Bangladesh during the border-coordinated meeting between the BSF and BGB held at Sylhet from November 5 to 8. BSF PRO, Ravi Gandhi, said, "We have given them all the details and they have assured us of taking action against the insurgents."BSF also raised the issues including the presence of insurgent groups like GNLA, HNLC, NDFB and NLFT in Bangladeshi territory & efforts to prevent smuggling of FICN.
November 5: SFs during a search operation, recovered more than INR 2.2 million along with explosive material from the house of GNLA 'commander-in-chief', Sohan D. Shira at Chachatgre village in East Garo hills District. SFs further recovered 25 electric detonators for use in IED explosions, 8 wireless sets with chargers, 2 Sony handy cams, 3 solar plates, 4 solar LED home lights, 13 solar lamps, 3 mobile phones, 16 SIM cards and 2 pencil battery chargers.
October 29: SFs on a combing operation in Dadenggre region of West Garo Hills District, had an encounter with GNLA militants on morning while a trader abducted by the militants over 12 days ago was released unharmed. The exchange of fire happened when Police teams, on the lookout for GNLA militants operating in Dadenggre region were fired upon near Rom Bazar, not far from Selsella. No casualties were reported.
October 28: BSF deployed in Chandaboi, West Garo Hills arrested one GNLA linkman, identified as Dansalrang Brahnoa, a resident of Goalpara District of Assam. The BSF personnel recovered a GNLA demand note from his possession.
October 26: District Session Judge has upheld the plea for framing of charges against GNLA 'chairman' Champion R Sangma, clearing the way for his trial from November.
October 25: SFs killed two GNLA militants in the outfit's transit camp in Watregitim Nongal in South Garo Hills District. The GNLA militants were identified as Rengchang Marak and Subarthapa Marak. SFs recovered one AK-47 rifles, two pistols, a grenade and ammunition from the site.
October 22: SFs have launched operations in Garo Hills region to rescue five people, including three road engineers of a Hyderabad-based road construction company, who were abducted by militants of the GNLA, an official said here.
October 21: SFs have launched an operation in western Meghalaya to rescue five people, including three road engineers of a Hyderabad-based road construction company abducted by GNLA. The engineers were abducted on October 20 while two ginger traders were abducted on October 19.
October 20: Suspected GNLA militants abducted three engineers, identified as Manoj Kumar, Depak Kumar and A K Sharma, working for a Hyderabad-based road construction firm while they were travelling to Goalpara District in Assam through the Rongjeng reserve forest in East Garo Hills District. An operation has been launched in the area to secure the release of the engineers, Meghalaya DGP N Ramachandran said.
Intelligence officials said the GNLA abducted the engineers with a motive to extort money from the company. "Yes , we have received some reports earlier on GNLA serving extortion notices to the company and following that we have provided the company officials with ten Police personnel to guard them," the Police Official said.
October 19: A group of suspected GNLA militants, led by its area commander Savio Marak, abducted four traders from Damal Asim market in Dadenggre in West Garo Hills District.
October 17: Suspected GNLA militants shot at and injured a school teacher, identified as Motjeng Sangma, and later abducted a businessman from Bajamara area of Selsella in West Garo Hills District.
The militants under command of GNLA's new 'area commander' Savio Marak first abducted the schoolteacher, then shot him, and injured before releasing him. After attacking the teacher, the militants went to the house of one Kali Das, a coal trader from Bajamara area. They took him forcefully from his house into the jungles of Selsella. He is yet to be traced.
October 15: Police arrested a data entry operator identified as Richard Marak working in a School office in Dadenggre along with his accomplice, identified as Lambrith Marak and a village Nokma (traditional heads in Garo Hills) for serving demand notes on behalf of the GNLA.
October 14: A suspected GNLA militant was killed during an encounter with the Army in Adokgre region in East Garo Hills District. The incident occurred when a team of Army personnel from Rangjuli camp laid a trap in a dense jungle of Mebenram-Modipara, 10-12 kilometres from Adokgrem.
October 12: A GNLA cadre and a surrendered cadre of the same outfit were killed following a skirmish at Songsak Dikkagittim village in East Garo Hills District.
October 11: The Security Agencies are apprehensive that the militant groups of the North East may try to re-establish bases in Bangladesh if a Government, which is not very friendly to India, assumes office after 2013 elections in that country.Highly placed security sources told the newspaper that despite crackdown launched by the Sheikh Hasina Government, some militant groups of the North East still have their bases in that country, but most of the bases are in Bangladesh-Myanmar areas.
October 10: GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma could not be produced in the court due to the strike in the Shillong District jail, even as the court took up the matter of framing charges against him. According to sources, the court will now issue its order on the charges on October 26. Champion R Sangma was also produced in court on October 9, but the matter could not be taken up due to the absence of court staff and the lawyer Sujit Dey. The matter on was extended for October 10.
October 8: GNLA suffered a twin blow when two of its hardcore cadres, identified as Terak N Sangma and Saleng M Sangma, were shot dead at Gairong Wageasi near Kharkutta in North Garo Hills District.
SFs killed a suspected GNLA militant at Medhikona under Dhupdhara Police Station in Goalpara District.
October 6: Williamnagar Police successfully thwarted a move by the GNLA to transfer extortion money after the arrest of two couriers and confiscation of INR 475,000 from hardware stores of the town. During interrogation the arrested GNLA workers, identified as Elizer Marak and Tangsengbirth Ch Momin, revealed that the money collected from all the hardware stores of Williamnagar was supposed to be handed over to their new 'area commander' Jimmy Ch Momin.
October 4: Meghalaya Government is facing an uphill task in the run up to the Assembly elections as it has to control the activities of several militant groups in the State. Four main militant groups -HNLC in Khasi Hills and GNLA, ANVC and ANVC-B in Garo Hills - can play a crucial role in influencing the outcome of elections if the candidates fall into the 'temptation' of making use of these militants to further their cause. There are also minor groups including LAEF who are active in the border areas of West Khasi Hills and East Garo Hills.
ANVC publicity secretary, Arist Sangma, however said, his outfit, currently under ceasefire, would not meddle in the 2013 election. The HNLC is yet to make its stand clear on the elections while the ANVC-B has already announced that it will initiate mass awareness on adult franchise and democratic rights besides mobilizing a democratic front for the 2013 polls.
The biggest cause of worry is the recent announcement of GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma that the outfit was ready to support Congress in the election.
October 7: SFs killed two suspected militants of the GNLA at Borjhora village in Goalpara District. SFs recovered a 7.26 mm pistol with 11 rounds of ammunition.
September 27: State Governor, Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary, questioned the announcement of arrested GNLA 'chairman' Champion R Sangma that he could contest in the ensuing 2013 Assembly polls. Governor pointed out that Champion has several criminal cases piling up against him.
West Khasi Hills DSP, TC Chacko and other Police personnel were disallowed by jail staff to interrogate GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma inside the Shillong Jail.
September 26: UDP, a key ally in the State's Congress-led coalition Government on September 26 accused some Congress leaders of hobnobbing with the GNLA. "The party (UDP) has taken serious note of some of the Congress leaders' complicity with the outlawed GNLA," UDP Spokesman Paul Lyngdoh told journalists. "The party has decided to take up this illegal activity (GNLA supporting Congress) with the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and Home Minister, HDR Lyngdoh," the UDP spokesperson said.
September 25: A Shillong city court extended the judicial custody of GNLA 'chairman' Champion R. Sangma by 14 days. Sangma was arrested on July 30.
State Congress unit of entering into negotiations with the outlawed GNLA for the next year's State assembly elections.
September 23: The matter of GNLA's offer to support Congress party in the upcoming State Assembly election will dominate the CEC meeting of the UDP scheduled for September 26.
September 20: The GNLA 'chairman', Champion R Sangma said that the outfit would support Congress except in two constituencies in the upcoming 2013 Assembly elections.
September 19: GNLA chairman Champion R Sangma, who has been booked in a total of nine cases and presently in judicial custody, has decided to contest the upcoming Assembly elections due in 2013.
September 18: Bangladeshi Security Forces have launched an intensive operation to track down ULFA-ATF leader Drishti Rajkhowa from their territory. Rajkhowa alias Mohan Rabha allegedly operates in lower Assam and reportedly has links with the Meghalaya-based GNLA. In April, 2012, the GNLA and RVA reportedly reinforced the ULFA. It is suspected that the RVA was floated by ULFA to get logistics support in Goalpara and Kamrup Districts (Assam). The GNLA, meanwhile, would provide support in Garo hills (Meghalaya).
September 16: Manipur and Nagaland are said to be the main centres from where sophisticated arms are being sent to the Garo Hills Districts of Meghalaya where a major insurgency upsurge is continuing for the last three years. Nagaland, home to the oldest insurgency group NSCN, and Manipur, border State having the largest number of militant groups both in the hills and the valley, have become ideal States for shopping by Garo militants, particularly the GNLA.
The GNLA has been operating from the camp that was hit by SWAT commandos on September 14 in which Tosol T Sangma was killed. East Garo Hills Police have revealed that the camp, which was being used as headquarters, was set up several weeks ago and could house about 20 cadres. Meanwhile, Williamnagar Police are on look out for the body of one militant identified as one Pedil who is believed to have been hit during the attack on the camp.
September 14: A senior militant leader ('area commander' of West Khasi Hills District) of the GNLA outfit was shot dead in an encounter with SWAT commandos of Williamnagar and CoBRA units of CRPF deep in the jungles of Durama Hills (East Garo Hills) and recovered a huge cache of arms in the morning. The militant leader, identified as Tusol T Sangma alias Mikjim, was inside the main camp of GNLA's 'commander in chief' Sohan D Shira when the commandos attacked it at around 11 am resulting in a long gun battle that stretched for several hours.
September 13: Williamnagar Police commandos (SWAT) along with CRPF's CoBRA units raided the house of GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira on September 13 and recovered a huge number of solar equipment that was about to be shifted to the militants camps. Six bags of urea meant for making IED were also seized from the house.
Later, the commandos raided another house belonging to the militant chief's brother identified as one Salte Ch Momin and recovered 21 number of table fans, 3 solar plates, 3 mini solar UPS and one digital generator. All the equipments were supposed to be transported to camps in the dense Durama hills across the Simsang river.
The BSF and Bangladesh, BGB have shifted focus on Sherpur District in the Bangladesh to neutralize the GNLA and ULFA cadres who are holing up in the area.
September 11: After a local court rejected his bail application, the 'chairman' of GNLA, Champion R Sangma is now contemplating to submit a fresh bail application.
September 9: An explosion took place in the compound of a petrol station at Barengapara border town in West Garo Hills District believed to have been triggered by militants but there were no casualties reported. The hand of militants in the attack, particularly those from the GNLA have not been ruled out either.
September 7: GNLA chief Champion R Sangma was once again remanded in 14-day judicial custody after he was produced before the Court of the Judicial Magistrate here. This is the third time that the former DSP turned militant chief has been remanded in 14-day judicial custody.
September 6: United Front formed by northeastern militants in Myanmar and resurgence of their activities in Bangladesh was on the agenda of a three-day annual DGP Conference that began in New Delhi.
August 31: SFs have launched a massive operation in South Garo Hills since August 30 to rescue the son , Konu Mahanta, of a coal exporter who was abducted by GNLA on August 28 night from Chokpot area. South Garo Hills SP Davis NR Marak however, expressed difficulty in acquiring accurate information about the abduction as the family members of the abducted individual were refusing to acknowledge the fact the Mahanta had been kidnapped.
August 28: BSF troops deployed in Dalu, West Garo Hills along with the State Police carried out a joint operation and arrested a GNLA cadre identified as Silvastin R Marak (23).
Accusing the authorities of giving preferential treatment to ANVC-B, the GNLA urged the Government to initiate impartial handling of all the militant outfits. West Khasi Hills Area Commander of GNLA, Tosol T Sangma said that the ANVC-B cadres too should be hunted down in the way GNLA members are being targeted by the Government.
A son of a coal exporter to Bangladesh was abducted in the State by eight armed men from GNLA outfit, Police said. No ransom call was received.
August 26: The court of the Judicial Magistrate, Shillong has remanded GNLA 'chairman' Champion R Sangma to 14 more days of judicial custody after he was produced in the court. While coming out of the court, Sangma expressed his willingness to hold talks with the State Government.
August 17: The BSF, with the help of Police, arrested an overground worker of the GNLA, identified as Ashish Sangma in South West Khasi Hills District. Sangma revealed that he used to provide shelter and other administrative support to GNLA militants.
August 15: Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma said that the activities GNLA militants continue to be a cause of serious concern in the State. Even after the arrest of GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma, there has been no slowdown of their criminal activities.
August 14: The State Government is of the opinion that the arrest of GNLA 'chairman' Champion R Sangma would not have any bearings on the activities of the outfit.
August 11: Central Government was not keen to hold talks with GNLA on the demand of separate Garoland in western part of the State, a Union Home Ministry official said. State Government too appeared not to be in a hurry to accept GNLA's offer for peace talks.
August 9: SFs arrested five GNLA militants while extorting money from a person at Resubelpara in North Garo Hills District. Acting on a tip off, SFs arrested two cadres of GNLA, who had gone to a house to collect money they had demanded from a person. Following their interrogation, three others of the outfit were later arrested. One of the arrested was the main accused in the killing of D G Momin, an assistant schoolteacher at the MP High School, Resubelpara on July 19.
A large amount of this money stashed away by GNLA in Bangladesh is used to purchase arms. State DGP N. Ramachandran said that Sohan D. Shira [GNLA-Commander-in-Chief] and others stash away money in the neighbouring country, thereby posing hurdles for the police to effectively bust the finance cells of the outfit. While a group of GNLA cadres collect money by way of ransom or through other means of extortion, a major portion of the amount goes to their pockets while only some part goes to Sohan, the DGP added.
August 8: GNLA has announced that it is willing to end its armed struggle if Central Government is ready to accept its demand for creation of a separate state for the Garos carved out of present Meghalaya. The 'political secretary' of GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang Marak, called up media houses from an undisclosed location in Bangladesh to inform of his outfit's decision to go the extra mile provided the same is reciprocated by the Central Government. "We will end all armed struggle if Delhi listens to our peoples' demand for a separate Garoland state under Article 3 of the Indian Constitution. We do not want a separate country but wish to remain within India," said Bikdot. He said that Garos continue to live under the shadow of the Khasi who rule Meghalaya and there is a long-standing demand by people of this part of the state for a separate identity.
GNLA "chairman" Champion R. Sangma is planning to move a bail petition following his arrest on July 30.
August 7: GNLA in the shot dead a businessperson at point blank range in North Garo Hills District. A group of four heavily armed GNLA militants pulled the businessperson, identified as Nitesh Shah (58), from his shop and killed him for non-compliance for its extortion demand. 'Area Commander' of GNLA, Chinang aka 'Laden', was the brain behind the incident, says the news report.
GNLA abducted a person, identified as Rupesh Bihari, from Radhe Bazaar under Bajengdoba Outpost in the same District.
August 4: The arrested GNLA "chairman", Champion R. Sangma, has indicated that he is ready to initiate "peace talks" with the Government. Champion, who has been under detention at an undisclosed location since July 30, met his counsel Sujit Dey, where he reportedly indicated a "pro-talks" standpoint. Champion was "arrested" on July 30 from the Umkrem-Pyrdiwah area under East Khasi Hills District along the Indo-Bangladesh border.
August 2: SFs in the State have been put on alert ahead of the August 15 Independence Day celebration. Special police teams have been deputed in vulnerable areas and important government installations, a senior police official.
BSF has deploying approximately 10,000 personnel an observing an 'Ops Alert' between August 6 and 20 along the 498 kilometer international border with Bangladesh, most of which is unfenced, with difficult terrain and riverine in nature. "We have received specific inputs from the police that certain militants like the HNLC are trying to sneak into Meghalaya and create problems during the celebration," Sudesh Kumar, Inspector General (IG) BSF, Meghalaya Frontier said.
BSF maintained that the Meghalaya Police acted on their own in relation to the "arrest" of GNLA "chairman" Champion R. Sangma. State Police personnel arrested Champion from the Umkrem-Pyrdiwah area in East Khasi Hills District along the India-Bangladesh border.
July 31: Some miscreants believed to be GNLA sympathizers set ablaze the house of Gaonbura (village headman) of Soenang Rabha in East Garo Hills District. Police sources claim that GNLA cadre, identified as Piliport, and his party are behind the incident which is aimed at diverting the attention of Security Forces. GNLA cadres operating in the Mendipathar and Resubelpara areas are intentionally fomenting communal tension between the Garos and Rabhas so that Police attention is diverted towards maintaining communal harmony, Police sources said.
A day after the arrest of the GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma, the State Police said the next target would be the 'Commader-in-Chief' of the proscribed outfit Sohan D Shira. The State Director General of Police (DGP) N Ramachandran said, "Sohan D Shira who is the military strategist of the outfit has to be arrested to neutralize the GNLA." According to Ramchandran, Champion Sangma was looking after the political activities of the outfit, while Sohan D Shira was the head of its armed wing.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said Champion was arrested due to sustained efforts of India and Bangladesh. "The arrest of Champion is the result of sustained efforts of both the Governments (India and Bangladesh) to eradicate the menace of terrorism from our soil," the Chief Minister said.
July 30: An encounter occurred between GNLA and Security Forces in Dabingggre village of newly formed North Garo Hills District. No casualties were reported from the SF, while SFs are yet to ascertain whether there were any casualties from the GNLA. Following the incident, a combing operation was launched in the area. GNLA group consisted of 10 militants led by 'area commander' identified as Philiport Sangma. All the rebels managed to escape.
SFs arrested 'chairperson' of GNLA, Champion R. Sangma, from Umkrem-Pyrdiwah area under East Khasi Hills District, on the Indo-Bangladesh border. "He has been arrested today, and the court has remanded him to 15 days' police custody," State DGP N. Ramachandran said. Champion's last reported assignment in uniform was as an assistant commandant at the 2nd Meghalaya Police Battalion in Goeragre near Tura, West Garo Hills District. In late 2009, Champion was reported to have left the police force to float the militant outfit along with former ANVC leader Sohan D. Shira. Shira is presently 'commander-in-chief' of GNLA. Some media report states that Sangma, was pushed back by Bangladesh.
July 24: A CRPF sub-inspector was killed and a constable injured in firing by GNLA militants in East Garo Hills even as SFs busted a camp of the rebel outfit in Durama Hills range. Sub-Inspector Pradeep Kumar and Constable Munna Kumar of CoBRA came under heavy firing from the militants while they were conducting search operations at Nobokgre village.
July 23: Fierce gunfight is on between the SFs and GNLA militants in the jungles of East Garo Hills District. A joint team of Meghalaya's SWAT and CoBRA have launched a combing operation at Paromgre area in the foothills of Durama.
July 22:A woman was arrested by Meghalaya police from a locality here for allegedly attempting to supply arms to GNLA rebels. According to the Police, Zosangpuii Hmar alias Sangte, a resident of Hrangchal in Champhai District, Mizoram, was picked up from Lumpyllon Madanryting locality. The Police seized two Nokia mobile phones from her.
July 21: One person was killed and two people suffered bullet injury when militants belonging to GNLA opened indiscriminate fire at a market in William Nagar area of East Garo Hills District. According to sources, the incident came in the wake of Police intensifying operations against the militants in the jungles.
July 20: GNLA dumped the bodies of two civilians executed at Rongrong. Both the victims had their hands tied and were tortured before they were killed. Police have identified one of the victims as Ringnang Sangma while the second victim is said to be a school teacher of Cheran Christian School from Pedaldoba, West Garo Hills District. The two were abducted by the militants a few days ago and were severely tortured before they were killed.
SFs arrested two persons, suspected to be involved in arms supply to militants, in Shillong on July 20.The duo have been identified as Adbil Ch Marak and Maybin Ch Marak of Tura and Jenjal in West Garo Hills District respectively. According to SFs, the duo was sent by GNLA Southern commander Mikjim Sangma to buy weapons from Shillong. SFs recovered a sum of INR 0.4 million from their possession.
July 19: GNLA militants killed a young Science teacher in Resubelpara in East Garo Hills District in the night simply because they believed he was close to the Government authorities.
BSF along with the Meghalaya Police arrested two GNLA militants at Salbari village and Khorang Basti in West Garo Hills District.
July 17: President of ARSU, Tankeswar Rabha, demanded joint operation by SFs along the Assam-Meghalaya border in lower Assam to tackle the activities of GNLA and other militant formations active in the region.
July 16: Expressing concern over extortion by various groups in the name of the GNLA, GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira has warned the impostors of grave punishments if they are caught by the outfit. The GNLA chief said there are many people or groups who are extorting money from different people in Garo Hills in the name of GNLA and mentioned that, just a few days ago, one Inspector of Schools from Dakopgre in Tura had received a note demanding an amount of INR 300, 000 in the name of GNLA.
July 15: Unidentified armed men abducted a private firm official of a cashew processing firm at Phulbari near Tikrikilla in West Garo Hills District. The account manager of the private firm identified as Tolaram Sharma (78) was going along with three others in a private car to Guwahati when they were stopped by armed men between Phulbari and Tikrikilla.
On getting the information of his abduction, Police managed to arrest one person, identified as one Manik, in this connection. The ULFA and the NDFB regularly use the area, where the abduction took place, for movement and seeking shelter. The GNLA also operates in the area.
July 4: Eight organizations, including the Goalpara District units of AASU, ARSU, ABSU, ABYF and Sikshak Samanay Samiti, have called a 12-hour Goalpara District Bandh (General Strike) on July 4 (today) from 6 am in protest against the killing of the two teachers - Kameswar Rabha and Sarit Rabha - after their alleged abduction by the GNLA.
The cashier of the SBI's Songsak branch, Abdul Halim Ali, and two businessmen, Mithoo Prasad and Binoy Karmakar, who were abducted from Songsak-Mendipathar road on June 23 and Deku Bazaar in Chokpot on June 28 respectively, were released by their abductors. Ali, who was abducted by LAEF militants, was released at Daurgre area in East Garo Hills District, while the two businessmen, who were abducted by GNLA militants, were released near Baromile, Dalu Road in West Garo Hills District. The families of the two businessmen had reportedly paid a large amount of ransom for their release. "Halim has been released but I am yet to get the full details," ADGP-SB, Tennyson Dkhar said. However, intelligence officials said the abducted cashier was freed after his family members paid a ransom amount of INR 0 .5 million.
June 30: SFs recovered the bodies of Hatigaon-Belpara Lower Primary School headmaster Kameswar Rabha and Goalpara District ARSU executive member Sharit Rabha from the Thanti Hill area near Kachumari village under Krishnai Police Station of Goalpara, reports The Telegraph. The duo was abducted by suspected GNLA militants on May 13, 2011. The Police, however, had been maintaining that the duo was abducted by a gang of armed men.
June 28: Suspected GNLA militants abducted two businessmen, identified as Mithoo Prasad (45) and Binoy Karmakar (62), from Deku Bazaar in Chokpot, South Garo Hills District at 3 pm. Karmakar accompanied by Mithoo Prasad, had gone to Chokpot for business related work when both were abducted, sources informed. Police have launched a massive search operation in and around the thick surrounding jungle to locate the abducted businessmen but their whereabouts have not been ascertained so far.
June 23: Suspected GNLA militants abducted a SBI cashier from East Garo Hills District. The armed militants abducted Abdul Halim Ali who works in the SBI's Songsak branch around 2 pm from Rongri market while he was on his way from Songsak to Rongjeng in a car with his branch manager. Sources said the outfit has asked for INR 5 million for his release. Sources said the abductors had actually wanted to abduct the branch manager, but since Ali did not know how to drive, they took him away instead. "The militants had wanted Ali to take back the vehicle as they did not want him to be left stranded on the road. But since he did not know how to drive, they instead took him (Ali) away. The branch manager was told not to inform anyone within 24 hours else Ali would be killed," an official said.
The two persons identified as Jibon Paul (40) and Jongsil M Sangma (26) from Dalu were arrested by West Garo Hills Police for having close links with the GNLA. Paul, who works in a pharmacy in Dalu, was found to be helping in providing medical assistance to injured and seriously ill militants of the GNLA. He would supply the cadres with medicines and also offered treatment to some. His accomplice Jongsil Sangma's role involved alerting Paul about the medical needs of the ill militants and leading him to their hideouts. Jongsil also aided the GNLA in providing information about sources from which money could be extorted. Both the arrested have confessed to the Police on their involvement with the militant outfit.
June 22: DG of BSF, U.K. Bansal, asserted that GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma has been arrested and is currently jailed in Bangladesh. Bansal's statement has confirmed reports appeared earlier that the militant chief is finally in the custody of the authorities. When asked for details about the arrest, the BSF official refused to comment further even though he said: "I am saying he is in jail from a long time now." He said that the GNLA chief has to complete his sentence in Bangladesh before his extradition to India. Since his reported arrest in Bangladesh on November 2011, the GNLA 'chairman' is said to have been out of touch with the 'commander-in-chief' of the outfit, Sohan D Shira. However, the Meghalaya Police have so far maintained a stoic silence on the GNLA chairman's arrest in Bangladesh.
June 19: Police arrested the chief arms procurer of the GNLA, an official said. Jackuish A. Sangma was arrested in the night of June 19 from Tura, the District headquarters of West Garo Hills when he was handing out an extortion note to a businessman, the Police official said. A foreign-made revolver along with six rounds of live ammunition, four GNLA extortion notes and seals were seized from Jackuish's possession.
A new outfit, HPLF, has reportedly been floated in Khasi-Jaintia Hills Districts. Sources informed that the HPLF has been formed by certain surrendered HNLC members. Sources also informed that the outfit is being led by Joplang Lyngdoh as the 'chairman', Thrang Marwein as 'general secretary' and DL Sawkmie as 'information secretary'. Sources also alleged that the group is recruiting new members from all over Khasi and Jaintia Hills Districts. Presently, the group boasts of strength of about 25 to 30 members. According to sources, the group is in possession of various weapons including one AK-56 rifle, over ten .9mm pistols, five revolvers (.38 caliber), hand grenades and others."The chairman, secretary and information secretary have recently met GNLA area commander, West Khasi Hills, Savio Marak with a request for support for their group," sources further informed.
June 16: SFs arrested a militant belonging to Meghalaya based GNLA, identified as R. Sangma, at Damra area in Goalpara District. SFs recovered INR 600,000 in cash and a Maruti car from the militant. A Police official added that the militant was on his way to Dudhnoi in the District to procure some wireless sets from a Nagaland-based supplier.
June 15: The GNLA killed a surrendered cadre of the outfit, identified as Sonaram Sangma, in South Garo Hills in the wee hours on June 15. According to Police the surrendered GNLA cadre was killed at around 12:30 am at a place in Nangalbibra in South Garo Hills.
June 14: Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Tarik A Ibrahim denied having any information about GNLA 'chairman' Champion R. Sangma's arrest in Bangladesh. "I am not aware of this. The matter is being handled by the Union Home Ministries of the two governments," Ibrahim said. While maintaining that the Bangladesh Government has adopted a 'zero tolerance policy' against militant groups operating from Bangladesh soil, the envoy said, "we will not allow our soil to be used by any person or group inimical to our national interest or the interests of our neighbours and friends. I cannot say anything more categorical than this," he added.
Seven organisations of the ARSU organized a rail blockade for about three hours near Dudhnoi in Goalpara District. The protest was against Police inaction in rescuing Kameswar Rabha and Sharit Rabha even after a month of their abduction by suspected GNLA militants.
The GNLA killed the secretary of the VDP, Sengkan K Sangma, in East Garo Hills in the night. The VDP secretary was shot dead at around 11.30 pm at Dajongpara area under Mendipathar near the PWD road in East Garo Hills. Around 10 armed GNLA cadres shot dead the VDP secretary and left a note near his body which said that Sangma was killed since he was a dacoit leader and a Police informer. The note written on a GNLA letter pad was signed by the 'area commander' of the Northern Command. Four empty cases of AK and one empty case of pistol were recovered from the site.
June 11: The ANVC-B said its "rise" has "brought down" the activities of the GNLA in Garo hills. "ANVC (B) just wants to make it clear that GNLA will not reign in Tura. We have no less than 50 cadres from Tura who wish to free Tura from their dominance. Same policy applies for other towns and villages," the group stated.
June 10: Two GNLA militants were arrested from West Garo Hills District. Chukat Sangma and Mathew Sangma were arrested from the Purakhasia area bordering Bangladesh, Inspector General of Police F.D. Sangma said. He said a pistol, a revolver, ammunition and some documents were recovered from their possession. "We are interrogating them and expect them to spill the beans on GNLA's activities," he said.
The GNLA accused the ANVC-B, of indulging in various unlawful activities and demanded that the law should be equal for everyone. In a statement, GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D. Shira said the State Police have been turning a blind eye to the unlawful activities of the ANVC-B. According to the statement, Shira said ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu Marak was bringing many youths into his fold, and until recently, had organised a training camp at Rongkon Megonggre where a recruit was allegedly beaten up for wanting to leave the group and was hospitalised. In addition, it is alleged that Marak is aiming to control South Garo Hills because the area is the richest in terms of mineral resources.
The GNLA has accused the Meghalaya Police of having a nexus with ANVC-B. They also alleged that ANVC-B always collect money in the name of GNLA, maligning the GNLA's name.
June 7: The unauthorized selling of SIM cards is rampant in the State and this was exposed by the Police, even as many SIM cards have reached in bulk to the militants and other individuals. The retail outlets in Shillong and in West Khasi Hills District sell SIM cards at INR 250-350 in the open market. The Meghalaya Police have unearthed this only after tracing the numbers used by the members of the GNLA. The Shillong Police have already arrested Bihari Sinha of ETC for issuing SIM cards to individuals without valid documents. West Khasi Hills District Police also arrested six franchisees of two private cellular operators in Nongstoin for committing the same act.
June 5: A top cadre of GNLA identified as Konan Sangma was arrested by the BSF from a village located along the Indo- Bangladesh stretch of West Garo Hills District on June 5. BSF sources said that they carried a Joint Operations with the State Police and arrested the cadre from Purakhasia market located in the fringes of the international boundary. During the search, one Pistol (7.65 mm, USA made), a magazine and nine rounds of ammunitions was recovered. During preliminary questioning, it was revealed that the GNLA cadre was trained in the year 2011 in area under East Garo Hills District. Detailed interrogation is in progress.
June 3: State Police will seek custody of the six persons including four GNLA militants, who were arrested by the Assam Police along with a huge consignment of arms and ammunition from Gorchuk area of Guwahati on June 2, DGP N Ramachandran said . Four GNLA militants include one Pintu Marak, who is the brother-in-law of GNLA Commander-in-Chief, Sohan D Shira .The consignment of arms and ammunition included one AK 74 assault rifle, one Berretta .32 pistol, 25 shells, 400 rounds of AK 74 ammunition, 500 rounds of 9 mm pistol ammunition, 20 rounds of ammunition of .32 Berretta pistol.
June 2: SFs arrested four GNLA militants including Pintu Marak, brother-in-law of GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira, and two Nagaland-based arms smugglers from the Guwahati city's Tetelia area. SFs recovered one AK-74 (grenade launcher) rifle, 25 grenades, one Barrette pistol and more than 900 live ammunition from their possession."The militants confessed that the consignment was procured from Myanmar and was being taken to Garo Hills through Nagaland and Assam. The weapons were concealed in secret chambers built inside the vehicle," Guwahati SSP Apurba Jibon Barua informed the media.
June 1: Commenting about the GNLA, the Union Home Secretary R.K Singh said that the GNLA has suffered a lot of reverses in the past few months. He also commended the efforts taken by the State Police to control the activities of the outfit. "We are confident that we would very soon catch all their cadres," Singh stated.
May 29: Thirteen organisations of Goalpara District led by ARSU staged a blockade on NH - 37 and NH-62 at Dudhnoi Chariali demanding the release of Kameswar Rabha and Sharit Rabha, who were abducted by suspected GNLA militants from the District on May 13.
A Police constable was killed and three others were injured in an attack by a group of militants near Gasuapara in South Garo Hills border in the night, Police informed . While Constable Pearson Sangma was killed in the firing, three other Policemen, identified as Gopal Rai, Jopline Kharkongor and Dilip Marak sustained injuries. A Police official said that the four police constables who were patrolling on foot were fired upon from a hillock by a group of militants at around 11:40 pm. Police are yet to ascertain which militant group was involved in the attack. There is presence of both GNLA and ULFA in the bordering areas of Gasuapara where the incident took place. Police have denied rumours that the constables were attacked in a case of mistaken identity by another group of armed constables on duty.
May 26: Meghalaya Police commandos attacked and destroyed one of the largest militant camps belonging to the GNLA near Sobokgre village of East Garo Hills in a fifteen minute encounter in the morning. Commandos on the search for the GNLA camp came under sustained fire from 'sentries' positioned at lookout posts outside the camp area just after 10 am. The militants used heavy weaponry firing several rocket propelled grenades against the Police and the commandos also retaliated with 2-inch mortars to blast their way through. However, there were no casualties from either the Police or the militants' side. "The camp was almost like an entire village closeted as can be seen from its huge size. We believe it to be their general headquarters and Sohan D Shira was present in the camp during the encounter," said Police.
May 24: Two top militants of the GNLA, identified as Elvin M Sangma aka Oldng and Rikseng D Sangma aka Moga, involved in several criminal activities surrendered to West Garo Hills District Police along with .32 pistol and nine bullets and three Chinese hand grenades.
May 22: A suspected GNLA cadre was arrested from Nongchram area near Shallang West Khasi Hills District. A foreign-made hand-grenade was seized from him.
May 19: SFs arrested three youths on an unspecified date at Thakuranbari village near Mankachar in Dhubri District bordering Meghalaya when they were trying to exhort money from a local businessperson in the name of GNLA. The youths had come to the house of one Hasmat Hussain of Thakuranbari and demanded INR 500,000 from him.
May 18: The DC of East Garo Hills and Goalpara, Vijay Mantri and Preetam Saikia respectively, held separate meetings to assess the situation on the Assam-Meghalaya border. He urged the public to remain calm and not to resort to any act of violence following the abduction of two Rabha tribesmen by suspected GNLA militants. The duo was abducted on May 13 last from Goalpara District and is yet to be traced. East Garo hills DC, Mantri said the kidnapping was the handiwork of a Garo criminal gang and the motive appears to be ransom. "Though GNLA was accused of the kidnapping, the outfit has denied its involvement," Mantri said.
May 17: Normal life was affected following twin 12-hour Goalpara District bandh called by ARSU and RNC to protest against the abduction of a schoolteacher Kameshwar Rabha and ARSU activist Sorit Rabha by suspected GNLA militants in the District.
The GNLA militants killed a villager from South Garo Hills for extorting money in the name of the outfit. According to the Police, the incident took place in the night after the militants abducted him. The body of the villager was recovered with bullet marks from Silkigre village in Chokpot, South Garo Hills. The militants, who executed the villager, left a note identifying the victim as Gobin Sangma and said he had resorted to extortion in the name of the outfit. GNLA leader Jack Marak, who is looking after the affairs of GNLA in Chokpot, South Garo Hills, signed the letter. Several villagers were executed by the GNLA in the past on the allegation that they were either extortionists or Police informers.
May 16: Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma made it clear that his Government would not hold any dialogue with the proscribed GNLA. The Chief Minister said, "After the people's defiance, the government's decision not to succumb to their pressure tactics has become more pronounced." Speaking about the hardship encountered by the people of Garo Hills due to the 144-hour GNLA sponsored bandh (shut down) in the first week of this month, Sangma stated, "Our government cannot turn a blind eye to the sufferings of the people created by such groups. The government will not go for any dialogue with the GNLA because we have seen militancy is more of an industry in the State." He substantiated his points by illustrating the emergence of multiple militant outfits in Garo Hills after the suspension of the ceasefire between the Government and the ANVC. Even as he spoke about the multi-pronged approach to bring about development and "to stop the youths from being lured by the fantasy of militancy", he asserted that the fight against militancy will carry on through police operations and other developmental works.
May 14: 84 remote villages in Kamrup District bordering Meghalaya under the jurisdiction of KVDC have now vowed to resist militant activities in the area, which is frequently used by ULFA and GNLA militants. Community leaders representing 84 Gram Sabhas (Village council) will formally join hands on May 15 in Kinan village to resist insurgent activities including extortion, passage of rebels through their villages and providing shelter to them.
BSF personnel at Maheshkhola in the South Garo Hills District carried out special operations and arrested a GNLA linkman, identified as Sonion Marak, while he was infiltrating to India from Bangladesh. The BSF also seized Taka 8,500, INR 500 and a mobile phone with Bangladesh SIM. During preliminary questioning, Marak confessed he was working with the outfit and facilitating trans-border movements of GNLA cadres.
The increase in activities of the GNLA militants in Ri Bhoi District is troubling traders engaged in stone quarries and stone crushing units. City-based traders running the stone quarries complained that their business had been affected in the past four months as many owners have been asked to pay up by the GNLA. "There are at least 15-20 stone quarries in the Maikhili area in Meghalaya and many owners have been asked by the GNLA to pay money. As a result, owners of the units and their managers are scared to visit the plant. Even labourers, too, are scared to work fearing attacks. As a result, business activities have been affected in the past few months," a businessman in the city who runs a stone quarry in Ri Bhoi said.
May 10: GNC and GWC will convene a meeting on May 16 at Kinangaon in Kamrup District in which villagers will pledge their support to Security Forces in their fight against militants. Police officers in Kamrup District and Army personnel deployed in the areas to counter militants will also attend the meeting. Two militant groups the GNLA and RVA are active in the hilly inter-state [Assam-Meghalaya] areas.
May 9: There was a fierce exchange of fire between SFs and the GNLA that ended in the militants retreating into the forests in East Garo Hills District, Police said. The gunfight lasted for about an hour. Though there were no casualties on the SFs side, Police are yet to confirm if any of the militants were injured. The exchange of fire took place at 2.00 pm in Gitokgre village, about 10 km from Williamnagar, the District headquarters of East Garo Hills when the SFs came under fire from GNLA rebels in hiding.
The State Police have intensified security in various parts of the Shillong city (East Khasi Hills) in view of intelligence inputs about a possible attempt by the Garo Hills GNLA to attack major commercial establishments in the city. Intelligence sources informed that the GNLA is planning to attack various commercial places like Khyndai Lad and Iewduh. It indicated that the GNLA, which has been pushed to the corner in Garo Hills due to continuous counter-insurgency operation against them, would attempt retaliation.
The State Police reiterated that the adopted tough policy towards the GNLA will not change, besides sticking to the stand "surrender with arms before thinking of a dialogue". State DGP, N Ramachandran said that this is a clear policy of the Government and there will be no deviation from the policy and let off in the operations against the outfit.
SFs arrested two GNLA militants from Darka area in Goalpara District (Assam). The arrested militants were identified as Pilat B. Marak (20) and Damin Sangma (22).
May 8: Reiterating his Government's stand of going all out against GNLA, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, made a clarion call to its cadres to lay down arms even as he assured attractive packages for them provided they came forward to surrender. The Chief Minister made it clear that the Government had no intention of suspending the ongoing operation against the GNLA. Mukul Sangma also stated there is no question of holding dialogue with the GNLA which is led by a person who is already a deserter. The Chief Minister said that Sohan D Shira, who is leading the GNLA after deserting the ANVC, had on several occasions cheated the Government.
May 7: The GNLA, in the evening, called off its 300-hour "dawn-to-dusk" bandh (shut down strike) in the Garo Hills region after a huge public outcry against it. A clarion call to bring normalcy back to Garo Hills resulted in thousands of people coming out of their homes to participate in a mass rally defying militant threats at the start of the 300-hour GNLA bandh which commenced at 6 am.
May 5: The ANVC-B criticized the GNLA for calling a 144 hours bandh (shut down strike) which started on April 30. The bandh has brought the entire Garo Hills to a standstill. In a statement issued, ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu N Marak said this kind of stand on the part of GNLA "is turning peaceful life of common man in Garo Hills into misery."
The GNLA called the bandh demanding suspension of the ongoing counter-insurgency operations.
May 3: Security has been beefed up in all major Government installations in Meghalaya after intelligence inputs warn that GNLA may attack them. Of a list of important Government assets, the main secretariat building has been listed as a "high risk" Government infrastructure that could face possible attacks from the militant outfit, officials said.
The six-day bandh (shut down strike) called by GNLA in the Garo Hills region of the State entered the fourth day. Hitting out at the GNLA for calling bandh in Garo Hills, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has said there must be some 'smart people' who are advising the militant outfit to hold these agitations. The Chief Minister said the main intention of asking the militant outfit to hold the agitation is to derail the implementation of various developmental programmes.
May 2: Two persons, identified as Sudir Mahanta and Anwar Hussain, were injured in a grenade attack at a market in Shallang in West Khasi Hills District. The explosion took place at around 6pm when two suspected to be GNLA cadres lobbed two grenades at the market place, Police said. However, one of the grenades did not explode. "It could be the handiwork of the GNLA militants to create fear psychosis and divert security agencies' attention in the wake of the combing operation against them," an intelligence official said.
April 30: The144-hours long bandh (shutdown strike) called by GNLA commenced at 6am on April 30 in the entire Garo hills region. Details are awaited.
April 29: Police rejected the demand of GNLA to stop operations against them and reiterated that anti-insurgency operations against the militant group would be intensified.
Kamrup chief judicial magistrate remanded four militants of the Meghalaya-based GNLA to eight-day Police custody for interrogation. The four militants were arrested on April 28 in the outskirts of Guwahati City.
April 28: SFs arrested four militants belonging to the GNLA from the Garchuk area in Guwahati city. GNLA cadres were identified as DS Sangma (55), SSG Momin (35), Salgra G Momin (21) and Alichum Sangtam (26). One AK-56 rifle, one HK rifle, live ammunitions and incriminating documents were recovered from the militants' possession.
The GNLA announced a series of bandhs in the Garo hills to protest against deployment of SFs for counter insurgency operations. GNLA has announced a 144-hour bandh (General Strike) from 6am of Monday (April 30) to 6 am of May 5 in the three Garo hills Districts.
GNLA also announced another 300-hour bandh from May 7 if the Government still did not respond to its demand. GNLA 'political secretary' Bikdot Nikjang Marak said the fresh announcement of the 300-hour bandh in Garo hills was because of the adamant stand of the State Government.
Several church bodies in the Garo hills region have expressed concern over the string of bandhs called by the GNLA and asked the outfit to desist from this form of agitation. They also urged the Government to call the GNLA for talks.
State Police announced a cash reward of INR one million for information on "commander-in-chief" of GNLA, Sohan D. Shira. Police also released a list offering cash rewards from INR 50,000 to INR one million "for information on the presence or movement of GNLA militants" as part of their effort to end the terror unleashed by the outfit's cadres in the three districts of Garo hills and adjoining areas. Other GNLA leaders in the list include "deputy commander-in-chief" Rupanto R. Marak, former Police constable Savio R. Marak who operates in Hahim/Aradonga region and Baichung Ch. Momin who looks after the GNLA's activities in Chokpot.
Police on recovered a powerful IED weighing five kilograms planted by GNLA rebels inside a culvert in South Garo Hills bordering Bangladesh.
After building close links with ULFA-ATF, the GNLA are developing contacts in the neighbouring Nagaland and procuring sophisticated arms from Naga militant groups, who route the weapons via Guwahati (Assam), making it more difficult for the city Police to intercept them. Intelligence sources confirmed that GNLA is buying lightweight assault rifles and guns as well as ammunition from various agents backed by NSCN. "They are purchasing Heckler & Koch assault rifles, something not even available for many of our security forces. They are also buying Austria-made Glock guns from the grey markets of Dimapur. These high range guns are light in weight and are now the favourite for ultras," said the source.
According to the source, the Nagaland-based outfits are getting these arms from Myanmar and some Chinese agents. "They buy an assault rifle for around Rs 8 lakh [INR 800,000] and a sophisticated pistol for Rs 4-5 lakh [INR 400,000-500,000]. They also arrange for agents to act as carriers to deliver the consignments," said the source, adding that in many cases the transit is also via Mizoram. Paid handsomely, the carriers bring these arms in secret chambers of vehicles and drive through Assam to reach Meghalaya.
April 27: Meghalaya Police arrested a Police Constable, identified as Alex Grahambel Marak, for his alleged links with GNLA. The SWAT of the Meghalaya Police arrested Marak from his place of posting at Bholaganj, around 75 kilometers from Shillong in East Khasi Hills District. The Police also seized 10 GNLA demand notes, three cell phones, four SIM cards, two pen drives and other incriminating documents from his possession. They are investigating the ways in which Marak helped the GNLA to expand its activities.
April 26: Suspected GNLA militants triggered a powerful IED blast targeting at a truck of Policemen which narrowly missed them Chokpot region of South Garo Hills. The incident happened when a large group of armed Policemen returning to Tura after conduct of anti-insurgency operations were targeted by the GNLA militants who detonated the explosive hidden on the side of a road culvert at Daji Tesakgre village, just 3 kilometres from Chokpot between 3:30 and 4 pm. The militants, suspected to be led by 'area commander' Baichung Momin, laid the trap for the Police truck but the explosion took place just before the truck crossed the culvert.
As soon as the blast occurred there was exchange of fire as the militants who were hiding up in the nearby hills tried to attack the Police personnel who also responded with heavy firing forcing the militants to flee. No casualties were reported from either side.
April 24: Meghalaya DGP N. Ramachandran said there are indications that some teenagers who were lodged in GNLA camps have returned home. On April 10, the DGP had set a week's deadline to attack the camps of GNLA if the teenagers were not released by the militant outfit. At least 120 teenagers were recruited by the GNLA to assist the cadres in the camps. The teenagers carry out menial jobs in the camps. The DGP said the primary intention of setting a deadline to the GNLA was not aimed at large scale surrender of the cadres. "Our intention was to get back the teenagers from the GNLA camps," the DGP said.
The State Police asserted that operations against the GNLA will continue. The statement came on the eve GNLA's proposed 72-hour bandh (shut down strike) in Ampati and Selsella area in West Garo Hills District from April 25. The GNLA earlier gave a three-day deadline to the Government to withdraw its forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations. According to Ramachandran, their demand for the withdrawal of security forces clearly indicates that the outfit is under tremendous pressure.
Suspected GNLA militants killed a villager in remote Rohanpara village under Purakhasia region of West Garo Hills District suspecting him to be a Police informer.
Suspected GNLA militants open fire on a civilian vehicle, going from Mancachar in Assam towards Baghmara in South Garo Hills District, at Sibbari area in South Garo Hills District. No casualty was reported.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma accused the GNLA of resorting to desperate attempts by calling a 72-hour bandh in parts of Garo Hills to pressurize the State Government to call off the operation against the militant formation.
April 19: Police shot dead a GNLA cadre during an encounter with a group of militants at Maidugiitim, around 40 kilometers from Baghmara in South Garo Hills. According to Police, around six GNLA cadres fired at a Police team at around 5.30 pm compelling the Police to retaliate. In the exchange of fire, a GNLA cadre, who is yet to be identified, was killed and a live grenade was recovered from him.
April 17: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma deliberating at the annual conference of Chief Ministers on Internal Security conference in New Delhi informed that the operations against the GNLA militants have entered a crucial phase and the State police have been able to achieve several successes in the fight against militancy in the State.
April 13: A Police commando and a 12-year-old girl, identified as Donamya Marak, were injured in an encounter with the GNLA militants at Adokgre village near Chokpot in South Garo Hills. A GNLA militant was also seriously injured in the encounter. The militants ambushed the Police team around 8.30 am. The Police have not disclosed the name of the injured commando because of Security reasons. The Police said the group which fired at the Police team was led by the outfit's southern 'commander', Baichung Momin from Chokpot in South Garo Hills.
The GNLA has also stepped up extortion activities in all the three Districts of Garo hills. The Police have warned businessmen and traders not to cooperate with the GNLA.
April 12: SFs recovered the body of Jaydev Rabha at Khaksi Ghagri in Goalpara District near the State border with Meghalaya. Suspected GNLA cadres had abducted Jaydev Rabha along with Dr Partha Sarathi Hazarika, Rupak Mahanta and Diganta Nandi when they were coming to Goalpara from Dudhnoi in the same District on March 4. Later, GNLA militants released Dr Partha Sarathi and Diganta Nandi on March 13.
The GNLA made attempts to target non-indigenous people and Police personnel in the Garo Hills in retaliation to the statement of Meghalaya Police that they would attack the outfit's camps within a week.
GNLA cadres tried to set ablaze a few houses belonging to non-indigenous people at Nangalbibibra in South Garo Hills in the morning, but the timely intervention of Police foiled the attempt.
Police also claimed that two militants were injured when Police fired at the cadres, who were trying to shoot a non-indigenous trader at Nangalbibibra.
GNLA cadres attacked the sub-divisional Police officer of Dadengre civil sub-division, Brono Sangma at around 4 pm at Mrongre in West Garo Hills. However, no one was injured in the attack.
The GNLA sponsored bandh (shut down strike) in protest against the recent (April 5) killing of four of its cadres paralysed normal life in Garo Hills.
April 11: A day after Meghalaya Police issued a week's ultimatum to GNLA to end violence and surrender, the outfit said that it would attack Police outposts and target the non-indigenous people if Police went ahead with their plan of attacking their camps. In a statement issued to the media, the GNLA 'political secretary' Bikdot Nikjang Marak said: "If the government goes ahead with the plan, then similar action against non-indigenous people in Garo hills will be initiated by us." The GNLA further warned that if the Government continued to deploy more central Security Forces, including the CRPF and the BSF, to hunt for GNLA cadres, the outfit would not hesitate to attack the non-indigenous people.
The ANVC-B has issued a strong warning against the supporters of the GNLA. Warning the supporters of the GNLA, 'joint secretary' of the ANVC-B, Rangdo R Marak stated that the warning is against all the patrons of the GNLA. "We will take strong action against all who host, support, give financial aid and provide assistance to GNLA," stated Marak adding that this goes to all politicians, businessmen, Nokmas, NGOs and individuals who are using GNLA as a tool for their own interest and exploiting the Garo society and resources of the land.
The threat came days after the pro truce ANVC headed by Jerome Momin and Dilash Marak were reported to be lethargic in countering the GNLA. The GNLA, under the leadership of Sohan D Shira, deserted ANVC leader, have issued frequent threats to the ANVC.
April 10: Toughening its stand, the State Government on April 10 served a week's ultimatum to the GNLA to surrender with arms before the Government or else 'force' would be used against them. The ultimatum was served following Police reports that a large number of youngsters were presently at the camp of the GNLA apart from few armed militants, the DGP N Ramachandran said. Maintaining that GNLA was armed with sophisticated weapons, Ramachandran said that the Police would be compelled to use lethal weapons against the militant outfit. "We have been exercising utmost restraint while carrying out operations against the GNLA militants to avoid collateral damage and civilian casualties," the DGP said.
He said that the Police forces also know that the 'respectable' citizens are engaged in collecting money on behalf of the militant group as agents and middlemen. What is most damaging is that the militant group has been recruiting innocent youngsters and destroying their lives, added the DGP.
April 9: A day after SFs busted GNLA "commander-in-chief" Sohan D. Shira's camp in East Garo Hills, Meghalaya Police claimed that they have obtained several information regarding Shira's activities from within his outfit. DGP Ramachandran said, "At present there is a rift between senior cadres of the GNLA not because of any ideological difference, but because of share of money being collected".
The East Garo Hills administration suspects that Brutush Momin (the bodyguard of GNLA Sohan D Shira), who suffered serious bullet injuries during heavy exchange of fire with the Police on April 8, must have died.
Police and paramilitary forces have intensified the hunt for Sohan D Shira and other militants of the outfit a day after they escaped a raid by SFs at their camp in East Garo Hills District on April 8.
April 8: SFs stormed a major hideout of the GNLA in which the outfit's 'chief' Sohan D Shira was holed up leading to a 15 minutes heavy exchange of fire in the forests of Bawegre village, 10 kilometers from the East Garo Hills District headquarters in the morning, following intelligence reports of militant movement. Shira managed to escaped but left behind a huge number of highly explosive rocket propelled grenades. The SFs recovered 66 live RPG shells neatly packed and concealed in one of the three camp tents set up in the forest.
Six coal export company workers who had been abducted by GNLA from Gasuapara in South Garo Hills District on April 6 have been released. The six were released unharmed from a forest hideout in the morning and has since been brought to Baghmara safely. Police do not rule out the payment of ransom for their early release.
April 6: Six employees of a Garo hills-based coal exporter were abducted by GNLA from Gausapara coal export point, 35 kilometres from Baghmara, the headquarters of South Garo Hills District. South Garo Hills superintendent of Police M.K. Singh said two GNLA cadres came at 1 am to Gasuapara, close to the Bangladesh border, and abducted six employees of the coal exporter, Henning Sangma. The abducted employees have been identified as Biswajit Majumdar, Ashish Jaiswal, Birendra Yadav, Mahendra Yadav, Chandreswar Rai and Rohit Sharma. The Police said the GNLA militants have demanded no ransom from the coal exporter. Singh termed the abduction as a desperate act.
April 5-6: An eight year old girl, Pyara Begum, a victim of GNLA terror attack on April 5, succumbed to her injuries on April 6. West Garo Hills deputy commissioner Pravin Bakshi said that in retaliation to the killing of four GNLA cadres on April 5, a group of suspected GNLA militants hurled two hand grenades at 8.15 pm on the same day at a residential area at Lokaichar near Kaliachar, around 70 kilometers (km) from Tura injuring the girl.
April 5: SFs killed four GNLA militants, who were involved in setting ablaze 14 coal-laden trucks recently, at Mongpangro near Keragalram village near Mendipathar in East Garo Hills. However, some other militants in the group managed to escape. SFs could identify only three dead militants as Jenny Momin, Pilliport Momin and Rikjeng Marak. SFs recovered an AK-47 rifle from the encounter site.
April 2: GNLA linkman, identified as Ribul Ali (28), from Paikan under Krishnai Police Station of Goalpara District (Assam). SFs recovered one 7.62 mm pistol, one round of ammunition and INR 100,000 from Ali.
The breakaway faction of the ANVC has warned the GNLA to restrain from causing more damages to already battered Garo society. In an emailed statement, the 'personal secretary' to Mokus Marak (leader of the breakaway faction), Nado R. Marak said, "The GNLA is even demanding money from Garo officers and doctors." While refusing to call them as the anti-talk faction of the outfit, Marak said that they are not against dialogue "as ultimately negotiation is the only way to find solution to any problem."
The Meghalaya Government will soon communicate to ANVC on a mechanism which does not come into conflict either with the State Government or with the GHADC, while finalising the outfit's demand for the formation of a GAC. Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said, "We are working out a mechanism and the same will be presented to the ANVC soon to get their feedback," Sangma said. The ANVC, in its memorandum related to the formation of GAC, had made it clear that the outfit's demand, if fulfilled, would be different from the existing GHADC, as there will be direct funding from the Centre for the new autonomous body as demanded by them. Another proposal by the ANVC is that senior Government officials will be appointed under GAC to supervise the administration to maintain transparency and accountability.
March 31: A group of nine armed militants of the GNLA opened fired at the 14 coal-laden trucks before pouring petrol and setting the vehicles on fire at Wageasi in East Garo Hills. While 13 trucks were gutted, villagers doused the flames on one of the trucks after the militants left the scene. Police sources said the motive behind the act was yet to be ascertained. "We are yet to know whether the GNLA had served any demand notice to the truckers or the owners of the trucks," an unnamed Police official said.
March 30: ANVC, which is on a tripartite ceasefire agreement with the Government of India and the Government of Meghalaya, finally split which may have an impact on the ongoing peace process. A leader from the anti talks faction of ANVC, said that around 300 cadres, including 'officers', have joined the anti-talk faction of the ANVC. "The designated ANVC camps are isolated and many cadres have returned to the jungles", the leader added. When asked why the split, the leader blamed the peace talks which have become a non-starter as a result of which the cadres are dissatisfied. The lukewarm response of the Government of India to the ANVC demand for a GAC is one reason for the dissatisfaction of the cadres. "Another reason which forced the cadres to return to jungle was to safeguard the common people from the pressure GNLA and the motive is to bring down the activities of GNLA," the leader added.
March 29: Security Forces rescued five persons hours after they were abducted by cadres of GNLA while arresting three GNLA militants from Lad Mawreng in East Khasi Hills.The five abductees, identified as Bolan Rabha, Ranjan Koch, Proveen Khalari, Halorstar Myrthong and Andrias Myrthong are employees of the Jaypee Group, which is executing Stage II of the Kynshi Hydel Power project, from Wahkaji in West Khasi Hills. They were abducted on March 28. The militants were arrested following a fierce gun battle between the GNLA cadres and the Police at Lad Mawreng in the morning. They arrested militants were identified as Anthony Marak, Sen P Marak and Manuel G Momin. One AK-56 rifle, three magazines and 47 rounds of ammunition along with plastic coated wire meant for use as IED, magazine pouches and other clothing items were seized from Anthony Marak while one .38 fabricated pistol along with magazine were seized from the other two militants.
SFs arrested two arms carrier from Sonapur area in Guwahati city, Assam. SFs identified the duo as Shwmdwn Daimary of Chirang District and Shubash Rai. SFs recovered two German Heckler and Koch rifles and a large amount of ammunition from the duo's possession. The Police believe that arms and ammunition were for GNLA militants.
March 28: There was an exchange of fire between SFs and GNLA. The exchange of fire took place at around 7.30 am in Bara Diengngan and Diengnganrit, about 30 kilometres from Borsora in West Khasi Hills District, when the SFs came under fire from GNLA militants. The gunfight lasted for about 15 minutes. Though there were no casualties reported on either side, Police were confirming whether any militant had been injured. Police have launched a combing operation in the area. "The combing operation will continue in the area to flush them out," R Muthu, Superintendent of Police West Khasi Hills said.
Sources further informed that GNLA cadres had significant presence in Borsora with many coal traders in the area having received demand notes seeking ransom of INR 250,000-300, 000. It was also informed that the GNLA has asked the coal traders to pay the ransom by the end of March, 2012.
March 27: The GNLA is now targeting minor children and teenagers to carry out their activities in the State. Informing this, DGP N Ramachandran said that the outfit is now trying to lure teenagers by promising them money. "This is a dangerous trend," he said, adding, the parents have been cautioned to take care of their children "so that they don't fall into the trap of the outfit". The outfit is also trying to recruit women, he said. The matter came to light recently when East Garo Hills Police arrested a GNLA recruiting agent.
March 25: SFs arrested two militants, including a woman, belonging to the Garo Hills-based GNLA, identified as Vishal Hajong and Balsri M Marak, from Barengpara village under Dalu Police Station in West Garo Hills. A .9 mm pistol, a magazine with four ammunition, mobile phones and Bangladeshi SIM cards were seized from their possession. The Police alleged that the two had gone to Bangladesh to procure arms for the outfit. While Balrsi is believed to be a close aide of GNLA 'Commander-in-Chief' Sohan D Shira, Vishal was actively involved in Ampati area of West Garo Hills District.
March 24: Two GNLA militants identified as Letmin Ch Momin alias Khanam Ch Momin and Balsrang Marak alias Matnang Ch Marak surrendered at Dobasipara in West Garo Hills District. The two had joined the outfit in 2011 and undergone training at Sabogre and Rongchakgre under Williamnagar Police station.
March 22: Williamnagar Police in East Garo Hills District arrested Sanjib M Sangma, a kingpin involved in recruiting young boys to join the GNLA. The Police also rescued three teenagers who were being taken to enroll in the outfit. The three young boys who were rescued are identified as Sengjrang G Momin (17), Chanchang R Marak (16) and Chirikrak A Sangma (17).
GNLA has issued extortion notes to various people engaged in coal mining in Khateja, Amarsang, Bermudar, Kulang and Nonjri sectors of West Khasi Hills District.
State Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh categorically stated that the State Government would not invite any militant groups for talks if they do not abjure the path of violence and lay down arms. Lyngdoh said, "The government is not adverse to talks and it will initiate dialogue with the militant outfits if they shun violence and lay down arms". Lyngdoh about the violent activities perpetrated by the GNLA since January 2010 said that during this period, the GNLA killed 25 civilians and injured three besides killing 10 police personnel and injuring eight others. Home Minister on the action taken by Security Forces said, "During the period, police arrested 156 militants. 31 militants were killed and 65 others surrendered. 93 sophisticated arms were also recovered."He claimed that the HNLC, a Khasi militant group has been crushed and the Government is determined to ensure that it does not raise its ugly head again. He said the increasing militant activities and a low Police-Population-Area ratio posed a 'big challenge'. "We recognise that there is a need to improve our police-population ratio and to stengthen the police network so that the problem (militancy) can be nipped at the initial stage," Lyngdoh said. Meghalaya has 13,394 police personnel, which works out to 110 Police personals for a lakh population and one police covering an area of 6.83 square kilometer, Lyngdoh said. Lyngdoh said the Central Government accorded sanction of INR 50 crore from the 13th Finance Commission for the setting up of a Meghalaya Police Academy, aimed at developing it as a centre of excellence for police training.
SFs arrested two GNLA militants, identified as Khemsing D Momin (32) and Sengkot Momin (31), from Baida and Tilapara village in Goalpara District. SFs recovered 2 x 7.62 single barrel rifles and cash worth INR 9,450.
March 20: SFs arrested two GNLA linkmen, identified as Khairul Islam and Rofiqul Islam, from Bamundanga village in Goalpara District in Assam.
March 17: ULFA-ATF leader Drishti Rajkhowa is planning abductions, extortions and other acts of terrorism in collaboration with GNLA. Guwahati City SP, Arupba Jibon Barua, in this regard said: "We have information that Drishti is in constant touch with GNLA militants trying to spread their tentacles in and around the city and some areas of lower Assam. There are inputs that he has on several occasions even been sheltered many by the Garo militant group in the bordering areas of Assam-Meghalaya."
March 13: Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, said that the complex problem of countering militancy through a multi-pronged approach needs a reciprocal gesture from Assam. The Chief Minister said, "Around 30 per cent of the GNLA cadres hails from Assam. So co-operation from our neighbouring State is necessary to fight militancy through multi-pronged approach." The Chief Minister further said, "There is an urgent need to fence the India-Bangladesh border in order to prevent illegal import of weapons and explosives which the GNLA is doing for the past few months."
March 12: Six GNLA cadres were arrested while a businessman who was abducted on March 2 was rescued following a raid at Umkrem jungle under Pelingkata area in Ri-Bhoi District. The businessman, Dinesh Sharma, was rescued unharmed. The arrested cadres were identified as Tengrik Ch Sangma alias Rimpu, Walgrik Marak, Paulus Marak, Maukherji Arengh, Paulektus Momin and Jerik Sangma. However, an 'area commander' of GNLA, identified as Hiderson Sangma, managed to escape along with four other militants.
Police are keeping a close watch on Garbhanga reserve forest on the city's outskirts close to Ri Bhoi and West Khasi Hills Districts of Meghalaya, with the GNLA now targeting businessmen in the city.
March 10: A group of unidentified men suspected to be GNLA attacked a petrol pump in remote Chokpot region of South Garo Hills in broad daylight. The suspected militants, numbering between four to six, walked up to the Abisa petrol pump at New Chokpot village of South Garo Hills and opened fire hitting one of the pumping machines. No one was hurt in the attack. The militants fled immediately after the attack and it is suspected that the attack may have been due to non-payment of extortion money to the outfit by the owner of the oil depot.
March 9: The arrest of four members of GNLA by Assam Police has revealed that the militant outfit was trying to make inroads into neighbouring Ri Bhoi District of Meghalaya. One of the arrestees, Mukher G. Areng, was reportedly providing shelter and other support to GNLA militants in Ri Bhoi District. "During the interrogation of the four rebels, it has come to light that the GNLA is trying to make inroads into Ri Bhoi district, where they were less active so far," Apurba Jibon Baruah, senior superintendent of Police (Guwahati), said. Jibon Baruah further said investigations have revealed that the GNLA and the Paresh Barua group of ULFA had reached an understanding and both were helping each other. "According to the understanding, Ulfa will not harm the Garo people living on the Assam side, while a group of 30-40 Ulfa cadres are taking shelter in GNLA camps in the West Garo Hills district," he said.
Suspected GNLA militants shot dead one person of Boro Gokul village near Bajengdoba in East Garo Hills. Four masked men in black dress barged into the house of one Randith Sangma (38) at Boro Gokul near Mendipather and took him away. The men carried one AK rifle and concealed their face with a black cloth. The victim was taken about 300 meters from his house and was shot dead. He received a bullet injury on his head and died instantly. It is not known who the killers were but suspicion is on the GNLA. However, involvement of other groups are not being ruled out by Police given that the GNLA do not hide their identity and always leave behind a note citing the reason for the killing.
GNLA, a Meghalaya-based outfit, is trying to sneak into Guwahati city to carry out unlawful activities. This revelation came after the arrest of 'lance corporal 'of GNLA, from Nine mile area of Guwahati on March 8. "The GNLA is trying to sneak into the city areas and is targeting some businessmen for abductions to collect money. We have inputs that they are also in touch with major outfits of Assam," said an intelligence official.
State Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary admitted that the activities of GNLA have posed a serious challenge to peace and development but the Government would do everything possible to neutralize it. Mooshahary said that action against the members of the outfit and those who are found to be supporting in raising funds for the militant group would be initiated as per the provision of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
SFs arrested four top militant belonging to GNLA, identified as Tengrile Sangma, Teran Sangma, Mukhar G Areng and Paul Ektaus Momin, from kiling area. SP Apurba Jibon Baruah verified that GNLA was behind the abduction of one Dinesh Sarma of Beltola, from a coal depot in Pllingkata on March 2.
March 8: SFs arrested an 'area commander' of the GNLA from Nine Mile area in Guwahati along Assam-Meghalaya border. The GNLA militant was identified as Rinphu Sangma who is the 'area commander' of GNLA based in Mendipathar area in Garo Hills. SFs recovered one pistol with live ammunition, three mobile handsets with SIM cards and INR 57,000 in cash. Two linkmen and two drivers were also with the GNLA cadre during the time of his arrest by Assam Police.
March 7: The Meghalaya State Police warned those businessmen who are extending financial or logistic support to militants outfit GNLA. A senior Police Official on condition of anonymity said anyone extending financial support to the banned outfit is liable to be booked under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). "It does not matter whether they are extending financial support under pressure or out of their own will they are liable to be booked under UAPA," the Police Official said. Stating that anyone who receives demand note from the outfit can inform Police, he said, adding, "I assure that their identity would be kept secret. We will provide them security cover." Replying to a query, he said police have information about several businessmen "who are paying to the outfit." "In fact, we are investigating the matter," the official added.
March 4: Suspected GNLA cadres reportedly barged into the house of former Assembly Speaker Martin M Danggo at Munai village, about 3 kilometres from Ranikor, in West Khasi Hills with the intention of serving a demand note. According to sources, four suspected GNLA cadres, dressed in camouflage and wielding AK-47 rifles entered the house of the legislator. Danggo was not present in the house at the time. "Failing to meet Danggo, the cadres gave three Bangladeshi mobile numbers to Danggo's sister-in-law and directed her to ask him (Danggo) to call them," sources said. It was also learnt that the GNLA cadres threatened to attack the house if the former Assembly Speaker failed to call them back.
March 3: Two businessmen identified as Mohammad Jubar Ali and Amit Rabha hailing from Assam were abducted by suspected GNLA cadres from a market area at Jangrapara close to Tikrikilla under Dadenggiri Civil Sub-Division in West Garo Hills. According to Police, several armed GNLA cadres came to the bazaar at Jangrapara and first fired in the air five rounds at around 10 am before abducting them.
Police arrested a GNLA cadre identified as Julius N Marak from the Goreng coal mine in Shallang in West Khasi Hills District. A crude bomb was recovered from his possession. Police informed that a group of nine GNLA cadres led by Savio Marak 'area commander' of Khasi Hills entered the coal-rich area of Shallang with an aim to abduct some coal traders of the area. However, the GNLA cadres were spotted by the Police who were present in the area. The Police team, however, did not fire on the militants as several coal labourers were working in the coal mine. Taking advantage, the militants fled from the scene even as SFs managed to arrest Julius who was hiding in a coal quarry. He was taken to Shallang Police Station where he confessed that he was a GNLA cadre and was involved in many acts of crime.
Police arrested Beka M Sangma, Wilip Sangma and Walsang M Sangma, who was involved in dacoity and extortion in the name of the GNLA. Police informed that the trio used hand-made guns to run their extortion business.
March 2: Police neutralized a GNLA hideout, wherein 100 powerful detonators used for triggering IED blasts were kept, near Kharkutta in East Garo Hills District. Police teams were conducting a search operation of Arengdo village, near Kharkutta at 6:30am when they spotted the GNLA camp outside the village. Before the Police could move in, the GNLA militants, in a group of six to eight, fired heavily on the teams and the encounter lasted for 30 long minutes. The militants escaped leaving behind the powerful detonators, a pistol and a large number of demand notes of the GNLA.
March 1: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma asked the youths of the State to keep their distance from the GNLA who is luring the youths by their false propaganda, even as he reiterated his Government's commitment to neutralize all insurgent activities in the State. Sangma said that the outfit was carrying its criminal activities in the name of a separate State which cannot be justified at all.
February 29: Six armed GNLA militants set ablaze their former colleague Sengrim G Momin alias Waljan's house at Dila Kamagre in Mendipather town of East Garo Hills District.
SFs arrested a Bangladeshi linkman of ULFA and GNLA in West Garo Hills District. SFs recovered one cellphone along with Bangladesh SIM card from his possession. During interrogation, Marak revealed that he was staying in Samalchura area in Bangladesh's Sherpur District and that he has been working for ULFA for the last 10 years and got involved with GNLA in 2011.
Three GNLA cadres, identified as Sanju Momin, Moti Marak and Jales R. Marak, were arrested by the Army at Dainadubi on the Assam-Meghalaya border. Officials recovered one AK-47 rifle, two barrel gun along with four rounds of live cartridges, one lamination machine, many fake vehicle documents and keys and many mobile handsets from their possession.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, who had threatened tough action against the GNLA during his recent visit to Meghalaya, said that they are a 'tough nut to crack'.
February 28: A Sub-Divisional Police Officer of Ampati, Sacheng R Marak, narrowly survived an ambush laid by heavily-armed GNLA militants near Machangpani close to Dalu in West Garo Hills District. Marak was travelling to Dalu for an inspection when the incident took place. When his convoy was passing through Rangapara area, 13 kilometres beyond Kherapara on the road to Dalu border town, as many as 12 well-armed GNLA militants, hiding inside a forest on the right side of the road, opened automatic fire from AK rifles. The vehicle sustained three bullet holes but the officer escaped unharmed. The Police retaliated and forced the militants to escape into the thick jungle.
Police arrested a GNLA cadre identified as Julius N Marak from the Goreng coal mine in Shallang in West Khasi Hills District. A crude bomb was recovered from his possession. Police informed that a group of nine GNLA cadres led by Savio Marak 'area commander' of Khasi Hills entered the coal-rich area of Shallang with an aim to abduct some coal traders of the area. However, the GNLA cadres were spotted by the Police who were present in the area. The Police team, however, did not fire on the militants as several coal labourers were working in the coal mine. Taking advantage, the militants fled from the scene even as SFs managed to arrest Julius who was hiding in a coal quarry. He was taken to Shallang Police Station where he confessed that he was a GNLA cadre and was involved in many acts of crime.
February 26: Suspected militants of the GNLA barged into the house of a retired Police constable, identified as Warnath S Sangma, and shot him dead. A group of heavily-armed militants numbering between six to ten entered Bansam Awe village, across the Simsang River near Samanda in East Garo Hills and dragged out the retired Police constable before opening fire on him. The militants accused him of being a Police informer before killing him despite his strong denials. Addition Director General of Police (law and order) Rajeev Mehta said, "The GNLA suspected that Warnath was responsible for the Police attack on their hideout at a hill top at Bansambagre near Samanda block on February 21".
CM Mukul Sangma has ruled out political talks with the GNLA saying "the outfit has to lay down arms and join the mainstream". The CM expressed his concern over the acts of crime being perpetrated by the GNLA and made it clear that his Government would not hold any talks with the militant outfit unless they stop their criminal activities.
February 24: Suspected GNLA militants blasted an IED in an unsuccessful attempt to blow up a Police vehicle packed with personnel in remote Siju area of South Garo Hills. The militants planted a powerful IED on the side of a road at between Jadigittim and Siju area and detonated the bomb just as a Police gypsy was passing through. The explosion ripped open the side of the road but missed hitting the passing vehicle. A search of the area later revealed a long line of detonation wires and pellets used for packing the explosive."It was handiwork of GNLA commander Rakkam" said Police from Baghmara.
February 23: Two GNLA cadres identified as Jiten Marak and Daljing Marak surrendered before West Garo Hills superintendent of Police Ricky Dkhar in Tura. Two hand grenades were also deposited by the cadres. Police said Jiten and Daljing had joined the GNLA about six months ago. Sources claimed that the duo decided to surrender following intense operations launched by the Police, along with CoBRA commandos, to flush out militants from Garo hills.
February 21: A Police team came under attack from the GNLA, led by the outfit's 'commander-in-chief' Sohan Shira at a forest area in Samanda in the East Garo Hills on February 21. According to the Police, the encounter took place when the Meghalaya Police team along with CRPF personnel was advancing towards the forest area at Samanda after getting information that more than 10 GNLA militants were holed up in a hideout in the forest. The Police said though encounter lasted for half an hour, no one was injured.
Police have traced a case of misuse of SIM cards by the GNLA and identified the people who had issued the cards. The Police said based on information received from West Garo Hills superintendent of Police R. Dkhar, additional superintendent of Police (crime) Vivek Syiem had lodged a complaint that GNLA cadres were using two SIM cards procured from Shillong. A Police inquiry revealed that T.N. Singh, the owner of a computer centre at Mawpat had issued two SIM cards to two persons, Biswajit Mandal and U. Khan, without properly verifying their antecedents. The Police have arrested Singh and are verifying whether the names of the buyers are fictitious. It is also probing the black marketing of SIM cards. The GNLA has resorted to large scale procurement of SIM cards in fictitious names for sending extortion messages.
February 20: SFs killed two-suspected GNLA militants under Lakhipur Police Station in Goalpara District. Two pistols were recovered from their possession.
February 19: Taking a hardened stand against the activities of the GNLA, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram ruled out any talks with the outfit even as he reiterated the Union Government's determination to root out insurgency from Garo Hills. Chidambaram, who was on a one-day visit to Shillong on February 19 to review the law and order situation in the State, asserted that the Government would not engage itself in any talks with the GNLA until the outfit shunned the path of violence. "GNLA has been declared a terrorist organisation. There won't be any talks with them but they have to abjure violence and give up arms," Chidambaram said.
February 16: Mendipather Police recovered a bullet-riddled body of a man, identified as John Ch Marak from a road between Resubelpara and Gajing in East Garo Hills District, along with a note left by the GNLA which took responsibility for the killing, accusing the deceased of extorting money in its name and raping minor girls. SFs recovered three live rounds of AK-47 ammunitions indicating that the person may have been shot dead by the Russian-made assault rifle.
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram will visit Meghalaya on February 19 to review the law and order situation including the rising GNLA activities in the State. This was informed to Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary who met the Home Minister on February 16.
February 14: Former Home Secretary GK Pillai said that the Union Government may not accede to GNLA demand for separate state for tribal Garo in western part of Meghalaya. "The Centre has not acceded to creation of Telangana, Gorkhaland and Bodoland. Therefore, I don't think the government will give in to their (GNLA) demand for separate Garoland," Pillai said.
Indigenous Citizens Forum of Simsanggre (ICFS) General Secretary Arun N Marak has filed a FIR with the Police claiming that he has received a call from one person demanding money from him. In the FIR, Marak stated that one Letin M Sangma called him asking him to pay INR 500,000. "When I refused to pay the amount, the caller asked me if I was not scared of GNLA," Marak stated, while adding that the caller threatened him of dire consequences if he did not pay the money.
February 12: Surrendered GNLA cadres are on the run fearing fratricidal killings by the outfit. While some cadres are shifting base to the houses of relatives, others are being accommodated in Police Stations temporarily. The constant attempts by the outfit to attack their surrendered colleagues at the behest of 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D. Shira is a cause of worry for Meghalaya Police, who are currently trying to neutralise the GNLA. GNLA militants had recently torched the houses of two surrendered militants; the first incident was reported from South Garo Hills and the other from East Garo Hills. The outfit had asked the surrendered cadres to refund the money for the weapons they had run away with.
February 9: SFs shot dead a GNLA cadre and injured five others in an encounter in East Garo Hills District. The slain GNLA cadre is yet to be identified. According to Police, after getting information that GNLA militants numbering around six were camping in a hideout in a forest area near Megra village, nearly 10 kilometres from Songsak Police station, a Police team approached the area. Sensing trouble, the militants fired at the Police team, compelling the Police to retaliate resulting in the death of a GNLA cadre. The Police suspect that the remaining five GNLA militants, who escaped, were injured in the encounter. A grenade and a pistol were recovered from the hideout.
A tribal chief, TR Marak, was arrested in Meghalaya on the charge of aiding and providing shelter to some cadres of GNLA in Garo Hills area. He was arrested under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act as the Centre had declared the group as a terrorist outfit. The arrest was made following seizure of documents and medicines from an abandoned camp of the outfit, Police said.
February 8: In an act of vengeance, GNLA militants set ablaze the house of a surrendered cadre, Andreash Ch Momin alias Nangnang at Bokkingre village, 2 kilometres from Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District.The GNLA militants also chased away the family members of the former cadre to Goraggre village in West Garo Hills. Sources informed that the GNLA had issued a two-week deadline to Nangnang to refund the money for the weapons he had deposited to the East Garo Hills Police during his surrender in August 2011. Nangnang was a senior cadre of the militant group and was recruited at an early stage of the outfit.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma asked the GNLA to lay down arms, but continue its struggle through peaceful means. "I urge upon all our misguided friends (GNLA) to embark on the various opportunities created by this Government which would contribute to the progress of development of our state," Sangma said.
February 7: Hari Chetri, a coal labourer, who was abducted by some miscreants from a coal quarry at Borsora in West Khasi Hills District on February 2, was released in the night. Police said that Chetri had been abducted by a four-member local group, and was released after his family members paid the ransom money demanded by the abductors. West Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, R Muthu, informed that the abductors were not militants but some local goons. The abductors were earlier suspected to be GNLA militants.
The State Police was engaged in a gun battle with GNLA militants at the outskirts of Napha Apal in East Garo Hills while conducting an operation. "Six militants managed to escape but police recovered one grenade, six empty cases of AK 47 rifles and several demands notes from the spot," the sources informed while adding that no one was injured in the encounter.
GNLA said that it wants talks on a separate State for the Garos only with New Delhi and not the Meghalaya Government. If the talks failed, it would make the outfit raise the issue in the United Nations Indigenous Peoples Forum in New York. The outfit has reacted sharply to Meghalaya Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh's press statement in Shillong on February 6 wherein he had announced the Government's decision not to hold talks with the GNLA. The political secretary of the GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang Marak, called up media persons to strongly criticise Lyngdoh's statement.
UDP president and former State chief minister, Donkupar Roy, called upon the State Government to explore all the possible means for restoring peace including calling the GNLA for talks.
February 6: Taking a tough posture against the GNLA, the State Government has decided to go all out to neutralize the banned outfit. State Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh said, "The government has no intention to hold talks with the banned Garo militant oufit." "Legally, the government cannot negotiate with any banned outfit and if they don't lay down arms, there will be no other option but to carry out operations to neutralise them," Lyngdoh added.
GNLA militants fired in the air near Sangsak Police Station in East Garo Hills.
February 4: The GNLA killed a 60-year-old villager from South Garo Hills, identified as Edward Sangma of Rompha Asim village. The bullet-riddled body was recovered from Mendikgere, 2 kilometres from his village. A note found beside the body claimed that he had been eliminated for being a Police informer.
February 4: Two engineers, identified as Apus Pothmi and Bonnieface Majaw, were abducted by GNLA from West Garo Hills on January 24, were released. According to Police, the GNLA was under pressure from NGOs and the public as well as from the Security Forces who had intensified operations to rescue the officials. Police had earlier said that there was no ransom sought for the release of the officials. Police believe that the GNLA released the officials unharmed due to the protest and condemnation from various quarters.
SFs arrested two GNLA militants following an encounter in Goalpara District on January 4. One .9-mm pistol, a magazine, 135 live rounds of AK-47 assault rifle ammunition, two grenades and INR 300000 recovered from the possession of the arrested militants.
February 3: Growing ties between the ULFA-ATF and GNLA have become matter of serious concern for the Government of Meghalaya as well as for the Security agencies. Highly placed Police sources said that ULFA-ATF has been providing help to the GNLA for its own benefits. Senior member of the ULFA-ATF, Drishti Rajkhowa is now believed to be in the hideouts of the GNLA in the jungles of Garo Hills. Rajkhowa also visits Bangladesh from time to time by taking advantage of the porous international border, but after the crackdown launched by the Government of Bangladesh; he started staying mostly in Garo Hills. Sources said that the ULFA-ATF is helping the GNLA mainly to keep a corridor open for going to the hideouts in Bangladesh. The ULFA-ATF had earlier extended help to the ANVC but after the outfit came over ground, the ULFA-ATF started helping the GNLA.
February 2: Suspected GNLA militants abducted a coal merchant, identified as H Chetri, from Borosora area of West Khasi Hills District. According to Police, the militants abducted the coal trader at gun point and subsequently took him to a nearby forest. Police suspect that the trader was abducted for ransom.
The ANVC has appreciated the Central Government's move branding the GNLA as a terrorist outfit.
Large patches of unfenced border with Bangladesh in Meghalaya are still encouraging movement of militants and there is urgent need for expediting the work of completing the fencing to check the menace. Highly placed Police sources in Meghalaya said that less than half of the total length of the international border with Bangladesh in the State is still unfenced and the Government of Meghalaya is yet to give clearance for construction of fencing in a stretch of 135 kilometres. Sources said that the militants belonging to the GNLA are still taking advantage of the unfenced border to move to their hideouts in Bangladesh. Though the Government of Bangladesh has been taking action against the militants staying in that country, the GNLA is still maintaining its bases in the neighboring country.
February 1: Talking to media persons, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma that the demand for Garo land cannot come from a bunch of people under the banner of GNLA. "We will examine the matter when the whole community demands for a separate Garoland," Sangma added.
The UAPF, an umbrella body of several civil society organisations including the Church, asked the Meghalaya Government to give them the mandate to initiate peace talks with the GNLA before the situation goes out of hand. The forum, which was formed in 2011 to play a constructive role to end the bloodshed in Garo hills, had met Mukul Sangma expressing its desire to play a constructive role in ensuring lasting peace.
January 31: The Union Government declared the GNLA, a terrorist outfit under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. "The government has approved and declared GNLA a terrorist due to its growing terror activities in certain parts of Meghalaya," Shambu Singh, Joint Secretary in-charge of the Northeast in the Union Home Ministry, said.
January 30: The claim made by the GNLA of having killed a villager for being a Police informer has been found to be true with the recovery of the decomposed body of the victim, Songchi Ch Sangma. The body was recovered after a Police team conducted a search operation inside a jungle near Danga Natong village in Zikzak area of West Garo Hills. GNLA 'area commander' of Ampati, Rahul R Marak on January 28 had called up the office of a Garo daily Salantini Janera and claimed that the outfit had executed a villager on January 27 as he was a Police informer. Police have, however, refuted that Songchi was an informant.
Chief Secretary WMS Pariat assured that the two MECL officials who had been abducted by the GNLA on January 24 were safe. While refusing to divulge details about the steps being taken by the Government for the safe release of the two abducted officials, the Chief Secretary only said, "All necessary steps are being taken." Pariat also stated that there has not been any demand of ransom by the outfit so far.
Following the demand of GNLA to withdraw Security Forces from Garo Hills region, the Meghalaya Government said it was working on a strategy to deal with them. "We are working on a strategy to deal with the militants and the government will take a re-look into deployment of security forces (in three Garo Hills Districts)," Chief Secretary W M S Pariat said. SWAT team of the State Police and the CoBRA of the CRPF are on operation to secure release of two power department engineers abducted by the GNLA on January 24. Meanwhile, the GNLA has warned all its cadres not to surrender before the Police.
SFs arrested three persons, including two women, along with arms at Duncan Basti area of Dimapur District. The arrestees have been identified as Imtiyanger, Lanutola and Mharhoni Kithan. Police said that the arms were meant for sale to GNLA cadres, a Meghalaya based militant outfit.
January 29: A GNLA cadre identified as Waljan Ch Momin alias Sengrim hailing from Dilma Apal of East Garo Hills District, surrendered before SDPO at Mendipathar Police Station in the District.
The HNLC and GNLA, of Meghalaya are shifting their bases in Bangladesh towards the Tripura border.
January 28: Suspected GNLA militants set ablaze the house of a surrendered GNLA cadre, identified as Sonaram R Sangma, at Darangdura in South Garo Hills District. However, Sonaram was not present in the house when the incident took place.
January 27: SFs acting on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of GNLA, 'Commander-in-Chief' Sohan D Shira, at a camp located in Rongri, three kilometres away from Nengmendalgre village of East Garo Hills District in Meghalaya, raided the area. But due to the presence of Sohan D Shira's wife and children, SFs did not open fire.
The GNLA claimed to have killed a villager in Zikzak area of West Garo Hills for allegedly colluding with Police and working against the outfit. The GNLA area commander Ampati Rahul claimed, "We executed a villager from the village yesterday (January 27) because he was the main Police informer operating against us for so long." The militant outfit questioned the Meghalaya Police over its tactics of using villagers to work for them in lieu of compensation which is never paid to them.
Setting conditions to free two abducted Government engineers, the GNLA demanded a "convincing reply" from the Meghalaya Government in seven days on the "poor power connectivity" in the three impoverished Districts of Garo Hills. Heavily armed GNLA rebels on January 23, 2012 abducted three Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MECL) engineers - Apus Pothmi, Boney Majaw and Marshal R Swer at gunpoint from their residential quarters in the Rongkhon area. Swer was later released unharmed.
January 25: The ANVC has warned that its cadres would be forced to break the ceasefire agreement and take up arms to protect themselves if the GNLA continued to target its cadres. Taking strong cognizance of the GNLA's bid to kill three ANVC cadres, its spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said, "Situation will be worsened if the GNLA continues to target our cadres." A group of around 15 armed GNLA cadres had made a failed attempt to kill three ANVC at Soksan village under Mendipathar Police station in East Garo Hills on January 24. Marak also urged the State Government to provide security to the ANVC cadres who are currently under ceasefire agreement.
January 24: A group of GNLA militants assaulted a villager and fired several rounds in the air in Mendipathar in East Garo Hills after a failed attempt to kill three ANVC cadres and their families. Police said a group of 15 armed GNLA militants came in search of the ANVC cadres - Dion G. Momin, Jangsan Momin and Milseng Momin, at their residences at Soksan village under Mendipathar Police station. After finding that the cadres and the families had already been moved out, the GNLA cadres fired several rounds in the air and also assaulted a villager, Sengrik Sangma, alleging that he was a Police informer. The militants left after warning the villagers. The motive behind the incident is yet to be known, but according to the police, the terror tactic may be because of suspicion that the ANVC cadres were helping the police to track down the GNLA militants. Another reason could be to establish supremacy in Garo hills.
Suspected GNLA militants entered the Meghalaya Energy Corporation limited (MeECL) complex at Rongkhon in West Garo Hills and abducted three engineers. They later released one of them identified as Marshal Swer. The two engineers who remain in custody of the militant group have been identified as Apus Pothmi and Boney Majaw.
January 19: Group of seven GNLA cadres armed with AK-47 rifles and SLR rifles shot dead two gate-keeper of Songsak village, West Khasi Hills District. The two gate-keepers are identified as Arbinius D Sangma and Bahkan G Marak, both residents of Songsak village. The State Police have launched a massive manhunt to arrest the gunmen involved in the killing. The Police said the killings were related to extortion money demanded by the GNLA earlier and also to create fear psychosis among the people, particularly the coal businessmen of the area. Sources informed that the GNLA had earlier demanded an amount of INR 2 million from the Songsak Mahari toll gate in West Khasi Hills District. The killing comes barely ten days after Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh, during his visit to Shallang Police outpost, had promised the local people that the outpost would soon be upgraded into a full-fledged Police Station to provide full security to the coal traders and residents of the area.
January 16: Two Garo youths, identified as Pak Momin and Engti Marak, were shot dead by GNLA, suspecting them to be Police informers. According to Police, the two youth hailing from Konchikol village were killed near their homes under Resubelpara Sub-Division in East Garo Hills District.
January 9: Shambhu Singh, Joint Secretary (North East) of the MHA, said that the MHA has already taken a decision that a major crackdown should be launched to check the menace of extortion. Singh added that the MHA's views would be formally communicated to the State Government shortly. Singh said that according to information available with the MHA, rampant extortions are going on in areas like Kokrajhar, Udalguri, Baksa, Darrang, Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong etc. He said that the Anti-Talks faction of the ULFA-ATF has been trying to launch extortion drive in upper Assam Districts, but the outfit has not been successful because of operations by Police and Security Forces and also because of the fact that the outfit now does not have the strength like the past. He said that the Government is aware of the fact that ULFA-ATF leader Paresh Baruah, who stays mostly in Myanmar and China, has been calling up people demanding money and one person who received a call from the ULFA leader in Dibrugarh formally informed the Government. On the overall law and order situation in the North East region, Singh said that the though the situation in Assam has improved, "things are yet to stabilize" and that is why the tenure of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was extended for another year. The Government of Assam also wanted extension of the AFSA.
Singh admitted that the situation in Manipur is still bad. He said that though the GNLA is on rampage in Meghalaya, the recent operations yielded results, while, the inter-factional clashes resulted in deterioration of the situation in Nagaland.
On the activities of the CPI-Maoist groups, Singh said that the death of senior CPI-Maoist leader Mallojula Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji must have affected the move of the Maoists to establish stronghold in the region. He said that according to information available with the Government, Kishanji visited Assam and Manipur just before his death in West Bengal.
January 8: Based on GNLA militant, Sonaram R Sangma alias Chonkam Chonkam's information SFs recovered one AK-47 along with 150 rounds of live ammunition, which were hidden in a jungle in West Garo Hills District.
January 7: One GNLA militant, identified as Sonaram R Sangma alias Chonkam, surrendered before South Garo Hills SP M K Singh.
January 5: SFs arrested two GNLA linkmen, identified as, Babul Marak (36) and Vijay Sangma (28), along the Indo-Bangladesh border in South Garo Hills District. SFs recovered INR 3,800 in cash, a mobile phone with a Bangladesh SIM card and BDT 80 from them.
January 3: Suspected GNLA militants threw a grenade at a house adjacent to the check gate of the Directorate of Mineral Resources in Athiabari in West Khasi Hills District. However, the grenade failed to explode.
January 1: Meghalaya Police in West Khasi Hills District are intensifying operations against militants and dacoit groups who have unleashed a reign of terror by serving demand notes to coal traders. Source said after the onset of the coal trading season in October-November, groups like the GNLA have been making hefty monetary demands from traders in places like Borsora and Shahlang. Such extortion has ingrained a deep sense of insecurity not only among the coal traders but also among labourers. Allegedly, the rampant extortion demands range anything between INR 50,000 and INR 500,000. Such demands also had forced many labourers to flee from their camps in places like Shahlang.
2011
December 24: The GNLA released P.K. Boro, the BDO of Dadenggre, West Garo Hills, a month after his abduction.
December 23: SFs arrested three GNLA militants, identified as Rakim G Momon alias Bong, Sengrang G Momin and Namseng B Marak, while they were extorting money from Jangjal market in West Garo Hills District.
December 21: Suspected GNLA militants abducted a brick kiln owner, Munna Khan, while he was inspecting a brick factory at Khardang around 1 km away from Mendipathar in East Garo Hills District.
December 20: Suspected GNLA militants opened fire at a Police truck and a Maruti Gypsy carrying firewood for the fifth Meghalaya Police battalion near Rongrengre Reserve Forest in East Garo Hills District on December 20, injuring four Police personnel.
SFs rescued one Biren Marak, a coal trader, from suspected GNLA cadres at Gambigre forest in West Garo hills District.
December 18: SFs on killed two militants of the GNLA and arrested one sympathizer, identified as Krinson N Marak, in Darimgre forests near Williamnagar, of East Garo Hills District.
December 17: SFs arrested a GNLA militant identified as Tizo Marak from Seven-Kilo area near Shallang in West Khasi Hills District.
December 16: 17-suspected GNLA militants allegedly stopped and checked vehicles passing by in case there were any Police personnel, at NH 51 in Rari in West Garo Hills.
December 8: Suspected militants killed the manager of a coal quarry, identified as Deep Roy, at Rajaju near Borsora in West Khasi Hills District on December 8. Police said it was difficult to point out whether GNLA militants were involved in the killing. However, the GNLA is active in all three Garo Hills District and are currently expanding their base to coal belts in West Khasi Hills.
Following the reported arrest of GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma in Bangladesh, Police have stepped up hunt for 'commander-in-chief' of the outfit, Sohan D. Shira, to neutralise it once and for all. It is Shira who often interacted with the outfit's cadres operating from makeshift camps in Garo hills. Shira also keeps in touch with arms dealers of the region to purchase arms and ammunition for the outfit. A senior Police official said the GNLA could be neutralised only if the Police could arrest or eliminate Shira, as Sangma did not have much say in the operational matters of the outfit.
December 6: The GNLA cadres are intimidating the ANVC members in Williamnagar East Garo Hills under the order of their 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D. Shira. The ANVC is under ceasefire since 2004 and its leaders wanted the Government to take note of the frequent threats to the outfit's cadres in Garo hills.
December 4: Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that the Government will not withdraw operations against the GNLA, rather would go all out to neutralize the militant outfit headed by Champion R Sangma, who is now reportedly detained by authorities in Bangladesh.
After the GNLA accused the ANVC of killing and terrorizing people, the latter has reiterated its desire to work with the State Government to neutralize the GNLA. In a statement, ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said, "If needed ANVC will work with the Government to wipe out GNLA."
December 2: Shambu Singh, Joint Secretary (North East) in the Ministry of MHA, said that the decision for banning the GNLA will be taken "in a day or two". He added that the Centre does not require the recommendations of the State Government to declare the GNLA as a proscribed outfit. However, the Meghalaya Government had submitted a detailed report about the activities of the outfit to the MHA.
December 1: Suspected GNLA militants sprayed bullets at the home of a Police constable in Rimrangpara village near Kherapara in West Garo Hills District in the night injuring the Policeman and his five-year-old daughter. The Police constable is posted with the Shillong district executive force and was on leave. The attack is said to have been planned and carried out by GNLA ‘area commander’ Baichung Momin.
November 30: The GNLA has released the two Assam-based traders who were abducted from Kalchengpara village near Selsella in West Garo Hills District on November 21. The two traders denied paying ransom to the outfit but Police sources indicate that money to the tune of INR 300,000 may have been paid by the families for their safe release.
The BDO of Dadenggre, PK Boro, who was abducted by different members of the same outfit from his office chamber remains untraced. The GNLA has been insisting that special commando units, SWAT from the Meghalaya Police and CoBRA units of CRPF and the BSF must return to their bases if the Government wishes to see the return of PK Boro. The deadline given by the outfit for withdrawal of all operations ends on December 2.
November 29: The ANVC urged the coal exporters of Garo Hills to immediately stop exporting coal to neighbouring Bangladesh. The appeal comes in wake of unconfirmed reports that the GNLA ‘chairman’ Champion Sangma has been detained in Bangladesh and he is presently under the custody of Bangladeshi authorities. Speaking to The Shillong Times, ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangnnign Marak said that the coal traders should immediately stop exporting coal to Bangladesh so that Bangladesh Government will come under pressure and hand over Champion Sangma to India.
November 30: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma hinted that the GNLA has a nexus with some politicians and political parties. “We cannot rule out the possibility of GNLA having a political nexus. But we cannot say that the outfit belongs to any particular party,” Sangma said.
A public rally that was to take place at Dadenggre market in West Garo Hills District was cancelled at the last minute over alleged threat by GNLA militants. Local NGOs of Dadenggre along with Self-Help Groups, church elders and villagers had planned to hold a mass rally to appeal for the safe and unconditional release of the Dadenggre BDO, PK Boro who had been abducted by GNLA militants on November 21.
November 25: ‘Political affairs secretary’ of the GNLA said that his outfit has no information on the whereabouts of the group’s ‘chairman’ Champion Sangma, who was reportedly arrested in Bangladesh on November 24. “We cannot confirm his arrest by Bangladesh forces because we have no information on that front,” claimed the political affairs secretary. He also said that his outfit has no links with an arms dealer who was arrested in Shillong on November 23.
November 24: The GNLA cadres who had surrendered have so far not been provided any rehabilitation package. Two of the surrendered GNLA militants on November 23 said, “We were promised a job and a sum of Rs 2 lakh [INR 200,000] but nothing has been given to us till date.”
Unconfirmed reports say that the ‘chairman’ of the GNLA Champion R Sangma is arrested by Bangladesh Police and RAB from a locality in Haluaghat in Mymensing town in Bangladesh.
November 23: The State Police arrested a top GNLA militant, Jackiush A Sangma, and five others including three arms dealers from different parts of Shillong. A Sangma is said to be a close aide of GNLA ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D Shira. The two other militants are identified as Bappun A Sangma and Harding M Marak. Police also recovered INR 1.19 million from their possession.
November 21: Suspected GNLA militants abducted two non-tribal businessmen and the BDO of Dadenggre civil subdivision, Prafulla Kumar Boro, in West Garo Hills District on November 21. Boro was abducted from his office while the two traders, identified as Dulal Modak and Rokybul Haque were abducted from Kalchengpara weekly market, four kilometres from Selsella, in the District few hours before the abduction of Boro. Meghalaya IGP G. H. P. Raju said the prime suspects in the abduction of Boro were the GNLA ‘army chief’ Sohan D Shira and his ‘area commande’ Chekan P Marak.
The GNLA revealed that it carried out the abduction of Block Development Officer (BDO) of Dadenggre ostensibly to give a message to the Meghalaya Government over its proposal to ban the outfit. ‘Political Affairs Secretary’ of GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang Marak, issued a statement to select media houses to claim that the abduction was undertaken in anger against the State Government’s repeated attempts to ban the outfit by putting trumped up charges against it to the Central Government. “This decision to target government officials is part of our ten resolutions charter that was agreed upon by our military council led by army chief Sohan D Shira and endorsed by chairman Pakchara (Champion),” said the GNLA political affairs leader.
November 17: Director General of Police N Ramachandran said that the GNLA is handled by Pakistan’s ISI. Ramachandran said, “We have information that the money collected through extortion is siphoned off by the ISI through the GNLA for purchase of arms and it is a well-known fact that the ISI is in touch with various insurgent outfits of the North East to foment trouble in the region”. On whether State plans to call in the Army to contain the militants activities in Garo Hills region, Ramachandran said, “We don’t need the Army.”
November 13: BSF personnel recovered arms, ammunition and demand notes by suspected cadres of the GNLA from around Badambari border outpost in South Garo Hills. Recovered items include a pistol, a magazine, two rounds of ammunition, two-metre safety fuse and four blank demand notes of the GNLA.
November 10: Former Meghalaya Deputy Superintendent of Police and now ‘chairman’ of the GNLA, Champion R. Sangma welcomed the fresh arrest warrant issued against him in connection with an alleged assault case and expressed his full faith in the law. The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court on November 8 issued a fresh arrest warrant against Champion R. Sangma in connection with an assault case of 2009 where Sangma allegedly slapped a prominent city businessman when he was serving as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
November 7: The BSF arrested one suspected GNLA over ground worker, identified as Samsual Islam, from West Garo Hills. They recovered six demand notes signed by GNLA ‘area commander’ Karak Momin.
November 3: Leader of the Opposition, Conrad Sangma asked the Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma to immediately hold a meeting of the security commission as the Garo Hills ‘situation was going out of hand.’ In his letter to the Chief Minister, Sangma said, the security commission meeting is long overdue and it should be held to discuss the worsening law-and-order situation in Garo Hills. He also said that fear psychosis has gripped Garo Hills as even MLAs are threatened and getting extortion notes from the GNLA.
The United Christians Peace Forum of Garo hills stressed the need to maintain peace in the region. The forum was formed this year primarily to make efforts to maintain peace and harmony in Garo hills. In a statement, the secretary of the forum, Manhseng A. Momin said, keeping in view the rise in militant activities resulting in the deaths of innocent lives, the Government should work out a lasting and peaceful solution to various problems confronting Garo hills.
November 1: To crack down on the GNLA, which gunned down four Police personnel and a civilian on October 31, the State Police have further intensified operations in certain areas of Garo Hills.
GNLA militants abducted two bamboo traders from Assam, identified as Amir Hussain and Nor Islam, from a village in East Garo Hills. The Police suspect they were abducted for ransom. The matter came to light only on November 7.
October 31: 12 to 15 heavily armed GNLA militants ambushed a Police patrol at sides at Nengpatchi village, 4 kilometers from Dobu towards Darugre Police station of Rongjeng in East Garo Hills District killing four Policemen and a civilian driver before decamping with five automatic rifles. Two other Police personnel survived the attack with bullet injuries. The deceased policemen are identified as N R Marak, Probinson Sangma, Victor Marak and E Sangma. Two Police personnel who survived the attack have been identified as Peter Sangma and D Sangma. The driver is yet to be identified. Six Policemen were travelling on a private vehicle on patrol duty when they came under attack. The militant group was allegedly led by GNLA ‘central area commander’ Rakkam Marak and former Police constable Savio Ch Marak, the ‘area commander’ of West Khasi Hills.
The Centre has sought the opinion of the Meghalaya government as to whether GNLA should be declared a “proscribed outfit”.
The State Government will announce a compensation package to rehabilitate the surrendered GNLA cadres soon. “The compensation package is under examination of the Political department,” Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh said.
October 28: In the wake of heightened activities by the GNLA, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that the Government, in its bid to curb militancy in the State, has now planned to come up with certain flagship programmes and schemes aimed at preventing the youth of the State from joining insurgent groups.
October 26: The GNLA released unharmed the abducted Meghalaya school teacher, Kalu Mishra at Dabasipara village in South Garo Hills District who was abducted on October 17. The teacher was freed after an amount of INR 200, 000 was paid to the GNLA.
Resentment is brewing among the surrendered cadres of the GNLA as the Meghalaya Government has reportedly not being able to come out with a compensation package to rehabilitate them.
October 25: A three-member armed group of suspected GNLA militants entered a village across the Simsang river near East Garo Hills District headquarters of Williamnagar and opened fire injuring a woman from the village whom they accused of collaborating with the Police against the outfit. The militants were allegedly led by the GNLA ‘operational commander’ Jennie alias Ringrang
October 18: Police killed a senior GNLA ‘deputy area commander’ Dilseng alias Bashish on the outskirts of Nengmaldalgre village, 6 kilometers from Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District. The ‘chief’ of GNLA Sohan D Shira who happened to be with the group narrowly escaped. The encounter happened when SWAT commandos of the District Police together with CRPF personnel and CoBRA units were scouting the area for movement of militants. Police recovered an AK-47 rifle with three magazines containing ammunition and one .9 mm pistol along with his GNLA identity card from the slain militant. One powerful wireless handset was also recovered from the spot.
October 17: Meghalaya Police picked up seven people in the abduction of three Policemen and subsequent killing of one of them in West Garo Hills District. William Maiong, who was killed, was abducted along with Sambu Dalu and Naik G Momin on October 15 by GNLA militants after being lured by one Pintu Ch Marak to accompany him for fishing.
GNLA militants abducted a Hindi school teacher from the border belt in South Garo Hills. His whereabouts remain unknown.
October 15: The GNLA militants abducted three Policemen, identified as William Maiong, Sambu Dalu and Naik Grejilstone Momin, and later shot dead one of them, William Maiong, in Tura in West Garo Hills District. The three Policemen were part of an armed section manning a bank at Gambegre development block. This is the first incident of Policemen being abducted by militants in the history of the State. As many as fifteen well-armed GNLA militants, allegedly led by ‘southern commander’ Baichung Momin accosted the three Policemen during their fishing trip that was arranged by a villager from Jongbugre village, 3 Kilometres from Gambegre. William Maiong was killed when tried to escape. His body was recovered on October 16. He had sustained six bullet injuries on his body and Police recovered three empty shells of AK rifle and .9mm pistol rounds next to the body. The militants then let off the two other Policemen who could barely walk due to the torture by the militants.
October 14: SFs recovered an IED weighing around 4 kilograms at Kukurkata in Goalpara District along the Assam-Meghalaya border. Police suspect that the explosives were meant for the Garo hills-based GNLA militants. SFs further arrested a GNLA linkman identified as Pulnam Sangma, who was carrying the consignment.
October 10: Militants belonging to GNLA have been able to set up bases inside some forest areas in Garo Hills posing threat to forest staff. A State forest department official informed that the GNLA militants were operating from deep inside Durama hill range making forest staff apprehensive given the fact that militants had abducted forest officials in the past. The official did not rule out the possibility of militants operating even from Balpakram National Park located in South Garo Hills District, as the location of the park which is close to Bangladesh border, is advantageous to the militants. Earlier, another militant group ANVC too had been operating from inside the Park.
October 4: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram assured the Meghalaya Government of all possible assistance to root out militancy from the State, informed Chief Minister Mukul Sangma. Sangma was in Delhi to discuss the ramifications of the GNLA threat with the Home Minister. The Chief Minister reiterated that his Government is sincere about addressing the root causes of militancy in Meghalaya.
October 3: GNLA militants looted seven rifles, including four SBBL guns, from a forest range office in East Garo Hills, without, however, harming the forest staff. According to the Police, around 15 militants in camouflage and carrying AK 47 rifles surrounded the forest range office located at Chidekgre, 4 kilometres from Williamnagar, the headquarters of East Garo Hills. The militants reached the forest office after crossing the Simsang river. After surrounding the forest office, the militants first seized the cell phones of the staff and forced all of them into one room. The militants, who took control over the forest office for nearly half an hour, asked the staff not to inform the Police. The staff finally informed the Police only on October 4. This is the first major attack by GNLA militants on any Government institution to snatch weapons.
September 30: Four Garo GNLA militants were arrested by Meghalaya Police personnel in West Garo Hills District and East Garo Hills on September 30. Police personnel arrested one Sengchon Marak, a cadre of GNLA, finance wing, at Tura in West Garo Hills. Following his interrogation, three more cadres identified as Leonard Marak, Leinang Marak and Torombil Marak were arrested from Williamnagar in East Garo Hills.
September 28: GNLA called off its proposed 10-day bandh (general shut down) in Garo Hills. GNLA ‘chairman’ Champion Sangma informed that considering the future of students who would be preparing for various examinations, they have decided to call off the bandh. The outfit had earlier called the bandh in October for 10 days demanding the withdrawal of BSF and the CRPF personnel engaged in anti-insurgency operations against the GNLA.
September 27: Heavily armed militants belonging to the GNLA ambushed a Police patrol in remote Chokpot area of South Garo Hills, 55 kilometres from Tura leading to a heavy exchange of fire. However, there were no casualties. The incident occurred when a team of Police personnel led by the Chokpot Police station chief were conducting a road opening and area dominance operation against militants in the main road connecting Chokpot town to other parts of Garo Hills. While fleeing, the GNLA militants lobbed an IED on the patrol party which failed to explode. The group was led by GNLA ‘area commander’ of South Garo Hills Baichung Momin and his deputy Eudo Ch Momin alias Cellopa.
September 24: GNLA has called a 10-day bandh (general shut down) in the three Districts of Western Meghalaya demanding withdrawal of operations against the militant group. GNLA leader Kakam D Shira told reporters over telephone that the group would impose the bandh from October 10 to 14 and from October 17 to 21. He said the outfit will not withdraw the bandh call unless the Government stops operations against their cadres.
September 23: The GSU appealed GNLA to call off its proposed bandh (general shut down) on September 28 and 29. The union president, Tengsak G. Momin said, “We do not believe that taking up arms will put effective pressure on the Government, especially the Centre, while demanding a separate state.” Momin also said the State should initiate measures to end militancy in Garo Hills and should do so in a constructive manner.
Senior Congress legislator has written to party president Sonia Gandhi informing her about threats he and his fellow ministers have been receiving from militants and sought her intervention in the matter. MLA from Rajabala constituency in Garo hills, Saidullah Nongrum, faxed the letter on September 23 but Police said he has not yet filed a FIR.
"I would like to inform you that a militant outfit GNLA from Garo Hills has recently threatened me and my workers through the print media. The matter is serious and needs immediate intervention from your end so that our lives are not at stake while we perform our duties," said Nongrum, who is also the political secretary to chief minister Mukul Sangma.
September 18: ANVC had asked the GNLA to shun the path of violence. ANVC Spokesman Torik Jangning Marak said ‘’we appeal to the GNLA to lay down arms and follow our path of peaceful negotiation.’’ GNLA has given a call for 300 hours dawn-to-dusk bandh (General shut down) in the three Garo Hills Districts, namely East, West and South Garo Hills.
The GNLA has ‘rescheduled’ its proposed bandh by withdrawing its threat of closure on September 30 and the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations.
September 17: Meghalaya Government said that there will be no talks with GNLA. State Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh said, “Neither will we call the GNLA for talks nor withdraw our operations”. Lyngdoh further said “They (GNLA) have been demoralized lot after the state police backed by the central forces pushed the militant groups on the back foot”.
September 15: The State Government has made it clear that it would intensify its operation against the GNLA. “Come what may we would not succumb to the pressure of the GNLA,” Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh said, while referring to the 13-days Garo Hills bandh (general shut down) call issued by the outfit on September 14. Lyngdoh also informed that the District administrations in the three Districts in Garo Hills have been asked to remain on alert.
The ANVC also slammed the GNLA for threatening to call a 13 days bandh. ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said, “It is going out of hand and they GNLA are now dictating terms to the people.”
September 14: In a joint operation, SFs arrested two GNLA militants, identified as Benbella Sangma (49) and Balsang Marak (26), from Kongkhal of West Garo Hills. The Army recovered extortion notes to be delivered to local businessmen in the Kongkhal area from them.
After its success of this week’s total shutdown in the three Districts of Garo Hills from September 12-14, the GNLA have gone a step further threatening to unleash a thirteen-day dawn-to-dusk closure from September 28 to October 14 with exemptions on Saturdays and Sundays. The outfit’s demand is for the withdrawal of central security forces currently involved in operations in Garo Hills.
September 12: A three-day shutdown called by the GNLA starting September 12 demanding for withdrawal of central forces and suspension of combing operations hit normal life in western part of Meghalaya. The shutdown will continue till 5 pm of Sep 14.
September 10: The GNLA hurled grenade at a check-point of Transport department in Dainadubi area in East Garo Hills District. However, no one was injured in the attack.
Mounting pressure on the Government to withdraw Central Forces from Garo Hills region, the GNLA, threatened to bomb different areas in the western part of Meghalaya. “We want the government to withdraw all security forces from Garo Hills and suspend the combing operation against us or else we will bomb several areas in Garo Hills,” Kakam D Shira, a top GNLA leader said. Shira said the outfit also decided to go ahead with the three day dawn-to-dusk shutdown from September 12 to 14 from 5am to 5 pm everyday in protest against the ongoing combing operations. The GNLA’s threat came after personnel of the CoBRA and BSF were deployed in the Garo Hills region.
In a joint operation, SFs arrested two GNLA militants, identified as Nikjam Marak (25) and Khabir Chand Marak (19), from Bidukura in West Garo Hills District. One scooter, one mobile with SIM and one 7.62mm live round were recovered from them. They revealed that they were in the area to extort money from a contractor, Akhtar Ali.
September 9: A contractor of Meghalaya Public Health Engineering department, Deepak Saha who was abducted by suspected GNLA in West Garo Hills on September 7, was released unharmed.
September 7: Suspected GNLA militants abducted a contractor of public health engineering department, Dipak Saha, from Kherapara in West Garo Hills. Saha was abducted by 11 armed militants.
September 5: Four senior cadres of the GNLA surrendered before J K Marak, Superintendent of Police of East Garo Hills District on. Amongst them was Salvision R Sangma alias Kodalok, cousin of Champion R Sangma, ‘chairman’ of the outfit. The other three have been identified as Wilnen C Marak alias Dosi, Phulbari, Malson A Sangma alias Jipjang and Salnang N Marak alias Kusi. According to sources, it is likely that they fled from a GNLA camp in the Durema in Garo Hills.
Opposition leader Conrad Sangma said the law and order situation of Garo hills would definitely figure during the Assembly session along with other important issues. While there is a rise in violent activities of GNLA in the form of abduction, extortion and killings, ANVC, currently under ceasefire, has asked the GNLA to stop violence in Garo hills
September 4: Three persons, including two members of the GSU, were arrested at Chisobibra near Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District for allegedly extorting money on behalf of the GNLA. The arrestees were identified as Silchang G. Momin (31), president of the GSU’s Mendipathar unit, Cizaral D. Shira (30), president of the union’s Damas unit of the District and Sabin Boro (23), driver of the vehicle. They are alleged to be the “over ground” workers of the GNLA. The Police recovered INR 700, 000 from them. They have reportedly confessed that the money was meant to be delivered to GNLA ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D. Shira.
September 1: The GNLA announced four days of bandh (general shut down) beginning on September 9 with intervals if the Government does not respond to their demand by September 8. The outfit has demanded an inquiry into the “secret killing” of innocent youths by the ANVC in West Garo Hills.
A sense of confusion prevailed in Meghalaya over the reported death of Bobby Reagan Marwein, the ‘commander-in-chief’ of HNLC in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The HNLC has neither confirmed nor denied the news. However, GNLA ‘publicity secretary’ Bikdot Nikjang Marak who claims that all North-Eastern outfits keep in touch with each other in neighbouring Bangladesh said, “Bobby was attacked by a gang of criminals but he is recuperating in a hospital in Bangladesh. These are the hallmarks of a sinister game plan by Meghalaya Police and Indian Intelligence agencies who want to impress their bosses in New Delhi in the run up to Dr Manmohan Singh’s visit to Dhaka later this month”.
August 28: SFs arrested onelinkman of GNLA identified asEndevas Sangma, from Madiaku Area under Boko Police Station in Kamrup District along Meghalaya - Assam border. One .22 Revolver was recovered from its possession.
August 26: GNLA threatened to call a 72-hour bandh (general shut down) from September 10, if the Assembly session does not deliberate on the alleged secret killing of innocent youths by the ANVC cadres.
The GNLA ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D. Shira’s personal secretary Kakam D. Shira told the media that the legislators of both the ruling and the Opposition should check the atrocities being committed by the ANVC. Shira also alleged that the ANVC members had resorted to secret killings as it was evident from the unmarked graves of innocent Garo youths killed by the outfit and buried behind the Tura Youth Hostel and Samanda camp in the East Garo Hills. The Government must investigate the use of hidden weapons by the ANVC since the beginning of the ceasefire, as dozens of Garo boys and adults who refused to accept the ANVC diktat, have gone missing. Some are buried in unmarked graves, the GNLA leader said.
Though the ANVC was supposed to deposit arms some of the cadres were still holding on to them, the GNLA alleged.
August 23: The GNLA refuted reports that the outfit was involved in gun battle with Police in the East Garo Hills District and instead blamed the ANVC, currently under ceasefire, for the incident. On August 22, suspected GNLA militants opened fire on a team comprising commandos belonging to the SWAT of Meghalaya Police at Baija near Williamnagar.
August 22: GNLA militants opened fire on a team of SWAT commandos of the State Police leading to a brief gun fight at Baija locality on the outskirts of Williamnagar town in East Garo Hills shortly after 9 pm. The group of four commandos returned fire from the direction the first shots were fired, forcing the militants to flee into the darkness. No one was injured in the incident. A team of SWAT commandos were returning to Williamnagar from 1st Meghalaya Police Battalion camp in Mawiong in Shillong after undergoing training when the incident occurred.
August 21: GNLA has decided make hefty salary offer for those Policemen willing to give up their job and join the group. Kakam D. Shira, a member of the GNLA and aide of ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D. Shira said that “We will offer Rs 20,000 per month to constables willing to join us. The monthly remuneration for Sub-Inspectors will be Rs 50,000. Moreover, there will be monthly increments.”
August 16: GNLA militants shot dead a truck driver and his helper near Mendipather and exploded a grenade inside the Chokpot Block Office in South Garo Hills District to enforce its 12-hour bandh (general shut down). Both the deceased hailed from Pancharatna area of Goalpara District in Assam. The GNLA had called for a 12-hour all Garo Hills bandh in protest against the killing of its ‘deputy army chief’ Roster Marak, and three others by Police commandos near Williamnagar on August 9. The militants had announced that a Garo National Mourning Day would be observed on August 16 in the entire Garo hills region.
GNLA militants shot dead a fifty-year-old man, identified as Nimot, Singh in Changkegre village of South Garo hills District. Sources said that the incident took place during the closing hours of the 12-hour bandh (general shut down) called by the GNLA to mourn the killing of its four cadres during an encounter with the Police on August 9. This was the third violent action resorted to by the GNLA in 12 hours. Confirming the incident, a Police source said that the cadres involved in the three incidents have been identified. According to the source, the killers of Nimot Singh were the men who were involved in the grenade attack on Chokpot BDO office. There were 7-8 cadres led by Baichung Ch Momin and Readin Sangma.
August 15: The State Police has established that the GNLA has been following the same strategy followed by other militant outfits to lure the unemployed youth of the State to join their ranks. A senior Police official on August 14 informed that the GNLA were offering between INR 10,000 to INR 15,000 as salaries to encourage the youth to join the group.
The war of words between GNLA and the ANVC and the growing threat perception over the outfits’ declaration war on each other is making residents and NGOs of Garo hills jittery. Though the ANVC had been making mild threats in the past, the sudden decision to go on the offensive came after the GNLA decided to call a bandh (general shut down) in Garo hills on August 16 in protest against the killing of four of its cadres on August 9. SFs had killed the four militants, including ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ of GNLA, Savio Marak, based on information passed by an undercover Policeman, Hubert Marak. Hubert, who had acted a Police deserter to infiltrate the GNLA, had stayed with the outfit for ten days, during which he passed vital information to Police.
August 11: GNLA which suffered a devastating blow on August 9 with the death of its ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ and three other cadres in a police operation, has decided not to boycott the upcoming Independence Day celebrations, and instead called for a 24-hour Garo Hills bandh on August 16. GNLA ‘chairman’ Champion R Sangma informed through an email that his organisation remains committed to a separate state within the Indian constitution and would in no way hamper the country’s national celebrations.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said, “We are ready to adopt all kind of methods to neutralise the militant groups for peace to prevail in the State.” He said this while answering a query on whether it was right for the Police to infiltrate the GNLA ranks.
August 10: Red alert has been sounded in the three Districts of Garo Hills following the GNLA threat to resort to retaliatory strikes following the killings of four of its militants, including the “deputy commander-in-chief” Roster Sangma, in an encounter on August 9.
Intelligence inputs suggest that the NDFB-ATF is assisting the GNLA in the planned retaliatory strikes.
August 9: Four GNLA militants, including the ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ of the outfit, Roster Marak, a Police deserter, were killed in an encounter with the SWAT team of the State Police at Bolkengre, a village located just four kms from Williamnagar town of East Khasi Hills District on August 9. The other three have been identified as Peter Momin alias Bruno, Hentison Sangma and Jekhyl Marak. Two of the militants, Darwin D Shira and Bilgrim M Sangma managed to escape under the cover of darkness. A sub-inspector of the SWAT was also injured during the encounter. This was the first successful operation after the intensified trail that started against GNLA militants in East Garo Hills.
Police recovered one AK-81 rifle with 2 magazines, a grenade launcher with five live grenades, a powerful MKS rifle of 5.56 calibre, Chinese M20 pistol, five Chinese hand grenades, two large army grenades, one cylindrical grenade and 332 number of assorted ammunition including Insas, MKS, sniper and .32 calibre bullets from the encounter site.
The GNLA has termed the killing of four of its senior cadres by East Garo Hills Police a ‘national’ tragedy and warned that it would not go unheeded. “We had planned to remain neutral and silent until August 15 celebrations but they have now ignited our anger. The killing of our men was done at the behest of the MLAs. They now have a debt to pay,” warned ‘Political affairs secretary’ of GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang Marak
August 4: Suspected GNLA militants shot dead a Nokma (village council chief) of Geldupara village under Garobada Police outpost in West Garo Hills District, for his failure to pay the extortion money. The Nokma was identified as GR Marak. GNLA had served him a demand notice of INR 700,000 with the dead line of August 1.
GNLA Spokesman Nikjang Marak said “We will attack legislators from Garo Hills and bomb the offices of Congress party and NCP in Garo Hills if the government does not withdraw the CoBRA commandos.”
August 3: The State Government has welcomed a recent offer by the ANVC to assist in the ongoing operation against the GNLA. Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh said “We would be more than happy to accept the ANVC offer to assist the Government in the operation against the GNLA. We would welcome the support of any group to end militancy in Garo Hills”.
July 31: The Meghalaya Government is mulling use of helicopters to provide aerial support to SFs fighting the GNLA militants in inaccessible terrain and thick jungles in the Garo Hills region, an official said. “In a recent meeting, the Central Government has allowed us to hire helicopters for aerial support to security forces on the ground to counter the GNLA rebels, but we are yet to take a decision on it,” SK Jain, intelligence chief of Meghalaya Police said.
July 29: GNLA ‘chairman’ Champion Sangma took responsibility for the July 27 Blast at Chetripara locality of Akonggre near Tura main Market and said that the main target was CRPF patrol. He further said “If CoBRA units are not withdrawn at the earliest; our boys will not hesitate to act”.
July 28: Meghalaya Government ordered an internal inquiry by its Police chief to find out whether allegations of “discrimination” within the Police department were true. The decision to conduct the inquiry was taken after Hubert Marak, a Meghalaya Police constable, joined the GNLA on July 26 alleging “discrimination” within the Police ranks. The total number of such desertions has risen to five, including the GNLA ‘chairman’ Champion R. Marak, who is a dismissed Meghalaya Police Deputy Superintendent of Police.
July 26: One more constable of Meghalaya Police, Hubert, the personal security officer of NCP legislator Omillo Sangma, reportedly deserted the force and joined GNLA. The Policeman also carried away his carbine and one revolver. “Hubert has been missing for more than two weeks and our suspicion is that he has joined the GNLA,” an unnamed senior Police official said. Hubert hails from Warimagre in East Garo Hills District, where the outfit has significant presence. Earlier, another constable, Savio Marak, had joined the GNLA and is now the ‘area commander’ of West Khasi Hills.
July 24: Three militants of the GNLA identified as Sonaram R Marak, Changke R Marak and Tekrok N Sangma surrendered at Baghmara in South Garo Hills District. They surrendered at Baghmara Police station after escaping from a GNLA hideout deep inside Durama range in western Meghalaya.
The trio surrendered following pressure due to the ongoing combing operations against the GNLA militants in Garo Hills region,” Deputy Inspector of General of Police (Western Region) said. The Meghalaya Government has launched a massive crackdown against the GNLA in the three district of Garo Hills region. Five companies of the Border Security Force and two units of CoBRA commandos have been deployed in Garo Hills to assist the state Police in the crackdown.
July 22: SFs on July 22 arrested a GNLA militant, Karwin Marak, from Bolmeadang in Dhubri District of Assam.
July 20: Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that the Government was examining the activities of the GNLA before declaring it an outlawed group. “We are still examining GNLA’s activities and threats before imposing a ban on it. Everything is under scanner,” Sangma said, and warned the political sympathizers of the outfit of drastic action.
GNLA clarified that it had no intention of harming civilians, days after it had reportedly threatened to detonate explosives in several areas of Meghalaya if the combing operations against them were not suspended immediately.
July 19: Three days after threatening to unleash a wave of serial blasts in the economic centres of the State, the GNLA ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D. Shira on July 19 has come out with a statement claiming that his outfit is prepared to take on the special CoBRA units of the CRPF and warned it would not remain a mute spectator to any atrocity that the commando unit may commit on the innocent civilians.
Meghalaya asked the Central Government to persuade Bangladesh to arrest Champion R Sangma, the ‘chairman’ of GNLA who has been camping in Bangladesh for several months in search of support.
July 18: The Meghalaya Government on July 18 said the threat issued by the GNLA to unleash a reign of terror in the State should be taken seriously but ruled out withdrawal of combing operations against the militant outfit. State Home Minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh convened a high-level meeting with senior Police officials to review the law and order situation in the State following purported threat from the GNLA.
Cadres of GNLA have reportedly been compelled to move to safer places after fresh operations were launched by Meghalaya Police together with the elite Cobra commandos and BSF personnel to flush out the militants from Garo hills. Police sources said there has been heavy movement of GNLA militants along the Durama hill range in Garo hills. The range is a tripartite junction connecting the three districts of Garo Hills — West, East and South Garo Hills.
July 17: SFs were put on high alert in Meghalaya after GNLA militants threatened to carry out serial blasts across the State. The militants said they would bomb crowded places like Bara Bazaar and Police Bazaar in Shillong, East Khasi Hills, Tura market in West Garo Hills and other places if the Government did not withdraw Central forces from Garo Hills by July 18. GNLA’s threat came after two units of CoBRA and five companies of BSF troopers were deployed in the Garo Hills region. “If the operations against the GNLA are not stopped by Monday, the organisation will go for serial blasts in Meghalaya,’’ GNLA ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D Shira reportedly said from an undisclosed location
SK Jain, the intelligence chief of Meghalaya Police said, “There is no question of withdrawing the troops or suspending our combing operation against them. Instead, we will intensify our operations.” An alert has been sounded across the State, he added.
July 14: Two CoBRA units of the CRPF and five companies of the specially trained BSF have been trifurcated, and a group each will be based in each of the three District Head Quarters (HQs) of Garo Hills. Disclosing this, a senior Police official said, “A thorough briefing was given to the newly inducted personnel, particularly on the topography of Meghalaya, strength of the GLNA, its weakness and tactics. Though the Special Forces will be based in Tura, Williamnagar and Baghmara, their area of operations will stretch up to West Khasi Hills District.”
July 13: In what can be an indication of intensified rivalry between two militant outfits of Garo Hills, the ANVC has accused the GNLA of trying to poach its cadres by offering up to INR 3 Million. “The GNLA tried to buy our cadres with offers up to Rs 30 lakh,” ANVC spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said in a statement on July 14. The outfit also alleged that GNLA cadres are assuming names (alias) similar to ANVC leaders. The ANVC, currently under ceasefire with the Government, had alleged that the GNLA is in cahoots with the NDFB and the ULFA. The GNLA had also cautioned the State Government not to entertain the ANVC’s appeal to allow its cadres to carry weapons “to protect themselves from the GNLA”.
The deployment of two COBRA units of the CRPF and five companies of specially trained BSF personnel to assist the State Police in Garo hills explained the gravity of the subversive activities being carried by the GNLA. Admitting that the GNLA activities have increased in recent months, a senior Police official involved in monitoring the Police operations, however, rubbished the notion that the State police had failed to curb the activities of the militant outfit. “In the type of situation that we are involved, there were occasions that we were down, but overall success rate should be appreciated,” stated the Police official. He said that seven GNLA camps had been busted in the past six months. He said that this was no ordinary achievement.
July 12: In a bid to tackle the growing militant activities in Garo Hills, the CoBRA personnel were deployed in the region. Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Rajiv Mehta on July 12 said two CoBRA units were deployed in Garo Hills to tackle the activities of militant groups. CoBRA commandos will assist the state Police in the ongoing combing operations to flush out GNLA militants from forested areas. It is also learnt that five companies of the BSF would soon be deployed in the region to further avenge the advancement of GNLA.
July 10: CoBRA commandos will soon be deployed in Western Meghalaya to counter the growing threat from GNLA militants, police said. "Five companies of BSF and two units of CoBRA commandos would be deployed in Garo Hills to help us in our ongoing combing operations against GNLA," S.K. Jain, the intelligence chief of Meghalaya Police said. The CoBRA commandos - the special force raised to tackle Maoist insurgency in India - will counter the growing GNLA activities in East and South Garo Hills Districts, considered to be GNLA's heartland. Presently, 500 CRPF troopers are assisting the Meghalaya Police and its SWAT commandos to tackle the GNLA. More than 10 people, including security personnel, have been killed in the Garo Hills during the last one year by GNLA rebels.
July 9: Documents and explosive material recovered by the Police from the GNLA transit camp in Nengmalgre forest, East Garo Hills District have revealed links between the GNLA and ULFA. GNLA ‘military chief’ Sohan D Shira, along with 12 armed cadres of his outfit and three ULFA militants, left behind 2 kg of explosive material and a number of incriminating documents while fleeing from the transit camp during an encounter with the police on July 8. Apart from Shira, GNLA ‘area commander’s Savio Marak and Rakstar Sangma and other militants were taking shelter in the camp. The police overran the transit camp after over half-an-hour gun battle. Though the militants managed to escape, the recovery of explosives and incriminating documents unveiled GNLA-ULFA links. The three ULFA men in question are said to be associates of ULFA-ATF leader Dristi Rajkhowa. Dristi Rajkhowa is functioning from the Resubelpara, Goalpara and Kamrup areas of Assam in order to maintain the outfit’s links with the GNLA and to use the Garo Hills belt as a transit route to Bangladesh.
July 8: SFs neutralised a camp belonging to the GNLA at Nengmandalgre, eight kilometres from Williamnagar town in East Garo Hills District even as the militants fired on the raiding party in a bid to protect their jungle shelter. No casualties were reported. Police sources revealed that the camp was set up at the behest of GNLA ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D Shira who regularly visited the camp. The camp was also giving shelter to GNLA’s West Khasi Hills ‘area commander’ Savio Marak who recently arrived in the area with his cadres ostensibly for a briefing by Sohan D Shira.
Various militant outfits of the region have found a ‘risk-free’ passage in Meghalaya to cross over from Bangladesh. The outfits have been using the route through Hat Mawdon Sirdarship in East Khasi Hills District, villagers said expressing their concern while blaming the delay in construction of the border fencing by the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) for the militant movement in the area.
New Delhi BSF and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) at a sector commander-level meeting held at Tura in West Garo Hills District agreed to share real time information to capture Trans-border criminals and militants.
July 7: The Meghalaya Police arrested three persons, including a cook of the Indian IIM, Shillong, for allegedly maintaining links with the GNLA, from Madan Laban locality in East Khasi Hills District. The arrestees were identified as Debraj Dalu (21), Simal Barman (18) and Lambus Sangma (27).
Dispelling all claims about his arrest at the hands of Bangladeshi security agencies, the “chairman” of GNLA, Champion R. Sangma alias Pakchara, announced that he remains a free man and accused the State Police, in tandem with Central agencies, of making deliberate attempt to feed false information on him. This is with regard to the conflicting reports taking place in the last few days about the possibility of the “Chairman” being taken into custody by security agencies in neighbouring Bangladesh.
The ANVC, currently under a truce with the Government of India, has now asked for its arms, which they had deposited at the time of the ceasefire in 2004, back for “protection” from the GNLA. The outfit wrote a letter to state Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh asking for the arms following killing of a mentally deranged person by suspected GNLA cadres near an ANVC designated camp at Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District recently. The ANVC has around 16 arms, including AK series rifles and pistols, deposited in a locked armoury in custody of Tura Police. The outfit has also asserted that the GNLA is working with the ISI of Pakistan. The ANVC demanding for a Garoland Autonomous Council had entered into a tripartite ceasefire with the Central and the State governments on July 23, 2004.
July 6: Bangladesh authorities have launched a manhunt to arrest Champion R. Sangma, the leader of the GNLA, an Indian militant leader, after Meghalaya Police confirmed he has shifted base to Bangladesh. Champion, who wants to fight for a ‘sovereign Garoland’ in the western area of Meghalaya, has forged a close operational relationship with other northeast-based insurgents groups such as ULFA and NDFB.
July 3: Two constables, identified as Exmarting Marak and Gopal Prasad Nunia, were killed when a Police ambush group fired at another group of Policemen in camouflage fatigues, mistaking them for GNLA.
June 29: Suspected GNLA militants opened indiscriminate fire on a Police outpost in Dobu area of East Garo Hills District. Militants forced to flee as SFs retaliated. Since the days of militancy, Dobu has been a prime target for extortion from coal barons.
June 15: The SFs busted a GNLA camp located in the foothills of Durema forest in East Garo Hills District. The camp, according to the officials, could provide shelter to around 50 people and ration that could last for two months for 50 people and incriminating documents were found from the camp.
June 8: It was not the NDFB-ATF which together with the GNLA ambushed a Police mobile party at Tapa Darengchi village, near Mendipather in East Garo Hills District on June 4 but heavily armed militants of the ULFA-ATF that is headed by Paresh Barua.
Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh asserted that the State Police would take all steps to wipe out the GNLA and that the Police are well equipped for the job. "We are going to face them (GNLA) with all our strength and they would be finished off," Lyngdoh said while reacting to the outfit's reported claim that the recent ambush on June 4 in East Garo Hills was part of its "reverse operation" against the Police.
June 6: The Meghalaya Government sought five companies of ITBP to tackle the anti-national activities of GNLA militants. Home Minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh said that they requested the Centre to sanction them five companies of ITBP to tackle the GNLA activities in Garo Hills region.
June 1: Three GNLA militants were arrested at a check gate at Athiabari in West Khasi Hills District. The arrestees were identified as Phairos Marak (26), Amost Sangma (26) and Vituos Marak (24).
May 19: SFs arrested four GNLA militants, three of them Bangladeshis, in West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya. The arrestees were identified as Rupanto Thiran, Ledison Thiran, Parhari Diwa and Froainath Marak.
May 3: Suspected GNLA militants abducted a trader from Bajengdoba town in East Garo Hills District. A group of three armed militants came on foot to the grocery shop-cum-residence of a Marwari trader, Kanella Sani (52) and took him away at gunpoint.
The state Government has ordered a probe into the "threatening SMSes and calls" that were sent to certain legislators from Garo Hills allegedly by persons claiming to be GNLA. Informing this, Meghalaya Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh on also said nexus between GNLA and politicians cannot be ruled out.
Top Garo GNLA cadre escaped from the custody of the East Khasi Hills Police despite being handcuffed. Arbenus Marak, considered as a close confidante of GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma, was arrested by the BSF on May 1 from Dangar, a village located along the Khasi Hills stretch of the India-Bangladesh border. The arrested militant escaped when the police was taking him for a medical examination.
May 1: A close associate of GNLA top leaders, Champion R Sangma and Sohan D Shira, identified as Arbenus Marak (25), was arrested by the BSF from Bhawal Bazar at Dangar in East Khasi Hills District. According to BSF, Marak had gone there to extort money from local businessmen. Marak, who underwent six months training at Barapara Jungle area of Tura where he learnt handling of weapons like AK series and explosives, is also involved in other illegal activities, the BSF added.
N Rajamarathandan, Superintendent of Police West Khasi Hills, that Police want full co-operation from the villagers of West Khasi Hills to help them in driving away all GNLA cadres present in the area.
April 29: Dissident Garo Hills District Congress legislators claimed to have received "threatening" text messages from GNLA militants, asking them why they did not support beleaguered chief minister Mukul Sangma.
Frankenstein W. Momin, community and rural development minister and a dissident Congress legislator, said he had received threatening messages from people who claimed to be cadres of the nascent militant outfit. According to him, the phone number from which the text messages were sent was reportedly from Bangladesh and the language used was English. Apart from Momin, other legislators who have received similar text messages include Saleng Sangma, the legislator from Dalamgiri in West Garo Hills. In the past, the GNLA was alleged to have sent "text messages" to demand money from legislators cutting across party lines representing Garo hills. The Sangma Government, which completed a year in office on April 20, is under strain with dissidents trying to overthrow the chief minister and replacing him with former chief minister D.D. Lapang.
April 28: The alleged involvement of some police personnel in "passing information" to the GNLA has much to do in the failure of the State Police Department in its operations against the outfit. Despite concrete intelligence inputs on the movement and activities of the Garo outfit, operations launched by the State police against the outfit failed to yield the desired results.
Admitting that the leakage of vital information has had a "jeopardizing effect" on police operations against the militant outfit, The DIGP Raju, however, said that those who indulged in such activities were influenced by GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma, the deserted Deputy Superintendent of the State police.
April 27: The Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) asked the GNLA to stop its extortion activities which "may lead to communal tension between the two major groups" in the State. Accusing the Garo militant outfit of being largely active in certain parts of West Khasi Hills, HNYF president GH Kharshanlor said they should not target the common and innocent people.
Four GNLA militants, identified as Sengma Momin, Leping Sangma, Phoni Sangma and William Marak, were arrested at Dalu in West Garo Hills.
A Police constable, identified as Stembirth Sangma, was arrested at Nongalbibra in South Garo Hills District for having links with the GNLA. He allegedly used to leak internal information of the Police to the outfit's leaders.
20 GNLA militants surrendered before Meghalaya Home Minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh. Led by 'chief training instructor' of the outfit Mingran T. Sangma alias Lodrin T. Sangma, the 20 cadres also deposited one M-16, one AK-56, one 7.62 SLR, three pistols, one grenade, ammunition and documents relating to the aims and objectives of the outfit. Terming the surrender of the cadres as a "red letter day" in the State's history, H.D.R. Lyngdoh said the Government would announce a "good package" to rehabilitate the militants who had come overground.
April 24: GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D. Shira narrowly escaped a Police raid at his home on the outskirts of Williamnagar District in Meghalaya. This is not the first time the elusive militant leader has escaped death or capture. During his ANVC days as 'area commander' of South Garo Hills, he also managed to escape an attack by SOT commandos at his hideout in Siju.
Most of the non-Garo Government employees working in Garo Hills have been abstaining from their duties due to fear of GNLA militants, who have served demand notes to them asking for up to INR three million. The GNLA has demanded the money as "donation for the interest and upliftment of the Garo people of Garo Land and for making use of the resources of Garo Hills."
April 18: The GNLA shot at several trucks and placed a demand of INR 20000 from every trucker plying through Wahthre village, around eight kilometres from Shahlang in East Khasi Hills District.
April 15: Meghalaya Home Minister H.D.R Lyngdoh said that the Government will investigate the alleged nexus between the GNLA militants and some Police. "It could be only a suspicion (nexus between GNLA and police personnel), but we will conduct an investigation to establish these linkages," Lyngdoh told journalists.
April 14: Suspected GNLA militants attacked a gas station by lobbying a crude bomb in the heart of Mendipather town that belongs to one Prakash Ch Momin in East Garo Hills District. However, no casualty was reported.
April 9: The State Police intensified operations in certain areas of Garo Hills to crack down the suspected GNLA militants, who had shot dead five migrant coal labourers in South Garo Hills District on April 5. Asserting that the massacre was the handiwork of the suspected GNLA, a senior Police Official on April 8 said operations are in full swing to track down the GNLA militants who are terrorising people in Garo Hills.
April 5: The GNLA militants killed five migrant coal miners and injured another at Goka coal dumping area South Garo Hills District. Sources said that GNLA militants opened indiscriminate fire on the sleeping coal labourers killing five on the spot and injuring another. The slain persons were identified as Ram Badan Yadav (40) from Uttar Pradesh, Suha Gin (36) from Assam, Habibul (20) from Mancachar in Assam, Noor Muhammad (42) from Mahendraganj in West Garo Hills, Jamin (40) from Mancachar. The injured worker was identified as Rakib Miya (25) from Mancachar. "There has been recent movement of a group of militants from West Khasi Hills District into South Garo Hills and we are gathering the details," informed a security official.
March 21: The SDO of Resubelpara in East Garo Hills District, Ram Singh’s convoy comes under ambush when a group of GNLA militants opened indiscriminate fire inside a jungle road across the Simsang river of Williamnagar town. The encounter lasted close to 15 minutes in which neither side have any casualty as the militants managed to escape. Ram Singh, IAS, was heading for spot verification to Rongrekgre village, 10 kilometers from Williamnagar town, as part of his ongoing probe into the January 26’s encounter between militants and Police where one 50-year-old labourer, Washington Marak, was killed and later passed off as a GNLA cadre leading to widespread protests in the Garo Hills. Across the Simsang river in Williamnagar town has long been known as a stronghold for GNLA militants.
February 24: A GNLA cadre, identified as Anand R.Marak (28) of Khasikhakra of Goalpara District of Assam, was arrested at Shallang market in West Khasi Hills District. Anand is wanted by Police in connection with the abduction of the Nokma of Riangshi village in October 2010. The GNLA cadre came to Shallang to carry out extortion drive, Police said. Meanwhile, another source claimed Anand is one of the members of the nine-member breakaway faction of the GNLA, four of whom were already killed in alleged fake encounter at Mendipathar.
February 16: The four arrested NDFB militants revealed during interrogation that HNLC and GNLA received training from the Bodo outfit. The GNLA, on the other hand, has also been helping the NDFB by providing shelter to its cadres.
February 9: A Policeman, who was suspected of deserting his ranks to join the GNLA militant outfit while on duty in the Mendipather region in Williamnagar District last month [January], confirmed about his joining GNLA. Policeman Savio Marak called up Shillong Times office to inform that he has joined the ranks of the militant outfit under the guidance of his former officer and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Champion R Sangma who is the ‘chairman’ of the GNLA.
February 6: Former Deputy Superintendent of Police-turned-militant leader Champion Sangma’s GNLA is offering a ‘better package’ to attract constables in the State to its fold. Government sources said that there were inputs, which suggest that the GNLA was offering a monthly package of INR 400,000 to INR 500,000 to Police personnel to join the outfit.
January 26: A major controversy erupted in East Garo Hills District as the villagers went for a general strike in front of a Police Station in Williamnagar town over the killing of a 50-year-old man, claimed to be a cadre of the GNLA by the SOT of the SFs. The SOT Police commandos raided Rongrekgre village, 10 Kilometers from across the Simsang river, and shot dead one person and arrested four others claiming them to be members of the GNLA.
January 24: The Meghalaya State Police is contemplating to take departmental action against the Constable Savio Marak who allegedly joined GNLA after deserting the Force. DGP S.B. Kakati said that Savio's services would be terminated and departmental inquiry would be initiated "if he has joined the nascent militant outfit." Meanwhile, Intelligence sources confirmed that the Policeman joined the outfit to take revenge against the Rabhas following the recent Garo-Rabhas clashes along the Assam Meghalaya border.
January 23: A Police Constable Savio Marak is suspected to have joined the GNLA. Marak, deployed in the ethnic-riot hit Mendipathar area of East Garo Hills District, went missing since January 21, 2011 with two rifles and 60 rounds of ammunition. Police sources also informed that one team of security men is already in the hunt for Marak along the Assam -Meghalaya border.
2010
December 20: According to Police sources, there are clear indications about the GNLA giving shares of extortion money to politicians in Meghalaya. "We have specific inputs which indicate GNLA having some political patronage allowing the outfit to carry out its activities openly. We have also received reports about the GNLA militants depositing some portions of the amounts collected through extortions in the bank accounts of some politicians," a senior Police official said. However, he refused to divulge the names of the politicians.
December 19: Three GNLA militants, including ‘general secretary’ Gregory A. Sangma alias Jerry, surrendered before the East Garo Hills SP Sylvester Nongtynger at the District headquarters town of Williamnagar, after they deserted the outfit. The two other surrenderees were Goran D. Sangma alias Chesang and Jamin Sangma alias Kakati. The militants, who described the pathetic living conditions at the GNLA camp, told the Police that more cadres were willing to lay down arms.
December 12: The GNLA sent an extortion demand to a sitting Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Garo Hills Constituency. Sources said a Garo Hills legislator received a call from a person identifying himself as a GNLA cadre on December 12 and demanded INR five million. Director General of Police (DGP) S. B. Kakati confirming the extortion demand said the Police have begun an investigation. The DGP added it would be premature to comment if the caller was a GNLA cadre.
The Meghalaya Government invited the GNLA for talks to "facilitate their surrender". Till recently the Government chose to ignore the group dismissing it as a "bunch of criminals" waiting to be hauled up by the SFs. However, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that the Government is willing to talk with the GNLA, with a singular objective of convincing the "bunch of criminals" to surrender. "We want to facilitate a system where we can ask the GNLA cadres to surrender and ensure that they come over ground," Sangma said.
December 10: Four militants of the breakaway faction of the GNLA, including its leader, Jokin Momin, were killed during an encounter with Police in East Garo Hills District. Five militants were arrested while at least one managed to escape with a bullet injury. The Police recovered two pistols and a revolver from the encounter site.
November 24: The GNLA militants released District Transport Officer (DTO) of Williamnagar in the Robinus Syngkon area after receiving and unspecified amount of ransom. After having spent close to two months in the captivity of the militants in the vast and dense forests of East and South Garo Hills, the DTO emerged from the thick undergrowth of Samanda town shortly after 7pm.
November 21: A gunfight broke out between SFs and cadres of the GNLA in Goreng village in South Garo Hills District bordering West Khasi Hills Districts on when SFs came under fire from four GNLA cadres hiding there. ‘The encounter lasted for an hour and the militants retreated back to the near by forest after intensive firing from the troops," a Police official said. However, an amount of INR 50,000 left behind by the GNLA cadres was recovered from the encounter site. Though SFs suffered no casualty or injury, the Police are yet to confirm if any of the militants were injured.
November 17: Suspected GNLA militants killed two coal miners and attacked a petrol pump in South Garo Hills District. The migrant coal miners, identified as Nazrul Islam and Kuki Boro, were killed in two different coal quarry areas, a local Police official, from the area said.
The militants also hurled two grenades at a petrol pump at Pathargittim area. One of the grenades exploded causing damage to the petrol pump, while the other failed to explode, the Police official said. Though, no militant group has claimed responsibility for the blast, intelligence agencies suspected the involvement of the GNLA. "These attacks carried out by the GNLA is to create fear psychosis in the coal mine areas to yield their extortion demands," a top intelligence official said. The GNLA had earlier slapped extortion demands ranging from INR 500,000 to INR 10 million on petrol pump owners, coal dealers and businessmen in the coal-rich Districts of Garo Hills. A fortnight ago, the GNLA militants had abducted two non- tribal coal traders from their residences at Nangalbibra area on ransom.
November 3: There were intelligence reports about the HNLC attempting to increase its activities again with of a tie-up with the GNLA. The move comes only a few days after a similar tie-up between the HNLC and the anti-talks faction of NDFB. According to intelligence sources, HNLC 'commander-in-chief' Bobby Marwein recently held a meeting with GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Champion R Marak ''somewhere'' in Dhaka. Intelligence sources also reported that the two militant leaders agreed to work together on all aspects.
October 24: Meghalaya Police arrested the alleged "chief recruiting agent" of the GNLA, Dikseng M. Sangma and two of his close aides, Wallen Ch. Marak and Stingson Ch. Marak, from East Garo Hills District on October 23, even as Operation Durama continues in a bid to arrest the outfit's cadres. According to East Garo Hills Superintendent of Police (SP), Sylvester Nongtnger, Sangma had admitted that around three cadres of the GNLA had been recruited in the first and second batch. He added that on Sangma's information, a GNLA camp was nutralised at Dorengkigre on October 24 though the outfit's cadres had left much before the Police arrived. The SP said on October 20, the Police had neutralised the outfit's general store, which was hidden deep inside the forest of Durama, around 9kilometres from Adugre village. Uniforms, magazine pouches, rifle slings, generator, and food items were destroyed on the spot.
October 15: The GNLA sent extortion notes ranging from INR 1 million to INR 1.5 million to eight businessmen in Shallang area of West Khasi Hills District on October 6. The self-styled 'commander-in-chief' of the outfit, Sohan D. Shira, who masterminded the abduction of the transport official, R. Syngkon, from Williamnagar in East Garo Hills on September 30, signed the demand notes. Besides East and South Garo Hills, the GNLA militants have become active in a few pockets of West Khasi Hills with an eye on extorting money from the coal barons in the Shallang area of the District.
October 11: The West Garo Hills District Police in tandem with intelligence agencies intercepted cell phone conversations between cadres of the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) giving congratulatory messages about October 9 bomb blast in Tura resulting in injury to eight persons. Highly placed Police sources informed that several leads had been established about the GNLA's role in the bomb blast.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma admitted that many smaller militant outfits of the State have flourished due to active support from similar groups from other States. "These smaller groups are off-shoots of militant organisations of different states," Sangma said. The Chief Minister's comments came in the backdrop of the links of the GNLA with the NSCN-IM and ULFA.
October 9: A GNLA militant surrendered before the Police at Dobu in East Garo Hills District on an unspecified date.
At least eight people were injured in a bomb blast triggered in a shopping place at Tura in West Garo Hills District. Meanwhile, the West Garo Hills District Police hinted that the blast could be the handiwork of the GNLA.
October 7: Meghalaya Home Minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh said the rehabilitation package for surrendered militants would not apply to any surrendered GNLA cadres.
September 30: Five GNLA cadres abducted R. Syngkon, the District transport officer of East Garo Hills District, and his driver from his official residence in Williamnagar.
September 26: A combined force of the West Garo Hills, East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills District Police neutralised a major camp housing two different units of the GNLA in Durama Hills of Nokrek Range. The militants managed to escape from the camp after a brief encounter.
August 16: A militant belonging to the GNLA surrendered at Rongjeng Police Station in East Garo Hills District.
August 10: Pebilson Marak, a coal trader who was abducted by suspected GNLA militants from Rongjeng in East Garo Hills District on August 7, was released three days later. According to Police sources, the coal merchant was released at Narenggre after his relatives had reportedly paid INR 1.1 million as ransom.
August 2: Suspected militants ransacked the office of the Prosecution Inspector's branch, which is housed in the same building as that of East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, and looted an unspecified number of sophisticated small arms. A senior unnamed Police official said they suspected the involvement of the GNLA, led by Champion Sangma, who held the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police before deserting the forces.
August 1: Militancy has adversely affected the Union Government's flagship programme, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), in Garo Hills. There are instances of huge number of people, working under NREGS projects in East and South Garo Hills Districts, who cut short their work to go home early due to fear of being intimidated by GNLA militants.
July 21: The East Garo Hills District Police and the Army arrested a GNLA militant with small arms from Rari area under Bajengdoba Police Outpost.
July 15: Five GNLA cadres were detained under the Meghalaya Preventive Detention Act (MPDA) 1995 with maximum imprisonment for three years.
June 27: Two GNLA militants were shot dead by a combined force of the Army and the East Garo Hills District Police during an encounter in Kharkutta area.
June 16: The GNLA accused its ‘general secretary’ Novembirth Ch. Marak, who was arrested by the Meghalaya Police from Siliguri town of West Bengal in May 2010, of betraying the cause of the outfit for the greed of materialistic gains.
May 15: GNLA ‘finance secretaries’, Solte Marak and Martin, were arrested by the SFs from Williamnagar of East Garo Hills District. They were arrested following the arrest of GNLA ‘general secretary’, Novembirth Ch. Marak, from New Jalpaiguri railway station in West Bengal.
May 19: The Police teams from West Garo Hills and East Garo Hills along with the CRPF personnel neutralised a camp of the GNLA after an encounter inside the Durama hills range straddling both East and West Garo Hills Districts. While GNLA militants managed to escape into the forest, a huge cache of ammunition was recovered from the camp.
The West Garo Hills District Police found a Short Message Service (SMS) communication sent by the GNLA ‘chairman’ to his supporters over the desertion of 11 of his cadres with 32 pistols from the Nengmandalgre camp. The GNLA leader in that SMS message cautioned his junior leaders to be wary of further desertions and to ensure weapons are kept in check to prevent any theft from the armory.
April 24: Publicity Secretary' of the GNLA, Gilsang Matgrik Marak, said that an Indian Mujahideen militant, Sanwar Hussain, was captured by its cadres, along with three AK-47 rifles and a huge cache of ammunition, from East Garo Hills District on April 10 and was kept in confinement.
April 2: The newly formed GNLA, headed by an absconding Meghalaya Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), threatens to blow up mobile towers in the interior areas and disrupt telecommunication network in retaliation for alleged Police excesses against villagers.
March 28: Pakchara R. Sangma, a ‘Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)’ of the Meghalaya Police, who remained missing for the last many months, issued a press statement ‘confirming’ himself as the ‘chairman’ of the GNLA outfit and threatened to take on the ANVC, accusing its of ‘harassing’ the weaker sections of the Garo society.
March 18: A senior Police Officer of Meghalaya in the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) joined the GNLA, the newly formed militant outfit in Garo Hills.
March 13: The ANVC denied its involvement in the abduction of a coal trader Nokma Chongrin Marak of Garo Hills and instead accused the GNLA outfit of attempting to derail the ongoing peace process.
Source:Compiled from news reports and are provisional.
Incidents and Statements involving Garo National Liberation Army:2013
Date
|
Place
|
Incident
|
Nature of incident
|
| January 3 |
West Garo Hills District
|
SFs arrested two GNLA 'over ground workers' from Sambalgre village
| Non-violent |
January 6
|
Shillong in Meghalaya
|
ANVC leader, Arist Sangma said that he was ready to negotiate with the GNLA if the militant group is willing to be part of the peace pact. "Being part of the mother organization, we want to appeal to the GNLA so that they can take part in the peace process as this is a golden opportunity and we are ready to facilitate the talks," said Sangma, 'publicity secretary 'of ANVC.
|
Statement
|
| January 6 | Goalpara District of Assam |
SFs arrested two suspected GNLA militants, identified as Nidu Sangma (19) and Dukham Momin (18), from Bakhrakhuti village near Dudhnoi in Goalpara District.
| Non-violent incident |
| January 6 |
South Garo Hills
|
SFs killed, in an encounter, a GNLA militant, identified as Jona Marak, at Mindikgre village in South Garo Hills District. SFs recovered one hand grenade from him.
| Violent |
| January 7 |
West Garo Hills
|
SFs, in an encounter, killed an 'area commander' of GNLA, identified as Gojol Sangma, at Garakgre village. SFs recovered a pistol and ammunition from the slain militant.
| Violent |
| January 9 |
Shillong in Meghalaya
|
A delegation of the ECI, which is on a visit to the State, has asked the DC and SPs of West, East and South Garo Hills Districts to carry out a vulnerability mapping of areas which are affected due to insurgent activities by GNLA.
| Statement |
| January 11 |
West Khasi Hills and East Khasi Hills
|
The BSF arrested three cadres of the GNLA. Official sources said that the BSF arrested two cadres of GNLA, identified as Nowel Momin and Arbin Marak, from the Borsora area after receiving reports of GNLA activities in the area. Both originally hail from Mawsynram in East Khasi Hills District.
Through information provided by the two cadres, the BSF along with Meghalaya Police carried out a joint operation in Horupukni village in Mawsynram to arrest the third militant, Sukumar R Sangma.
| Non-violent |
| January 11 |
Shillong
|
The Shillong Bench of the Gauhati High Court granted bail to Champion Sangma, 'chairman' of the GNLA, after the State government failed to file chargesheet against him. Champion Sangma, who is lodged in Shillong Jail, was granted bail in two cases lodged against him in Nongstoin, the District headquarters of West Khasi Hills District. However, Sangma will continue to remain in jail as there is one case pending against him in Shillong in East Khasi Hills District.
| Non-Violent |
| January 16 |
West Garo Hills of Meghalaya
|
Top ULFA-ATF militant, Drishti Rajkhowa, was reportedly killed, in either an encounter with SFs or in a clash with GNLA militants, near the India-Bangladesh border in West Garo Hills District.
| Violent |
| January 17 |
West Garo Hills of Meghalaya
|
A civilian, identified as Plaindro Sangma, who was shot at by GNLA militants on January 2, succumbed to his injuries at Tura Civil Hospital in West Garo Hills District. GNLA militants had shot three supporters, including Plaindro Sangma, of Community and Rural Development Minister, Saleng Sangma, at Aklangre village under Dalu Police Station in West Garo Hills District. The militant outfit accused them of being Police informers.
| Violent |
| January 19 |
East Khasi Hills District In Meghalaya
| Police arrested four GNLA cadres from Polo at around 6 pm. Those arrested include Vincent T. Sangma, Viraj Chungkan, Najim R. Sangma and London Sangma. The Police said they were involved in extortion and recruitment of cadres. | Non-violent |
| January 19 |
Shillong in East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya
|
State's Chief Secretary, WMS Pariat asserted that law and order situation in the trouble-torn Garo Hills has improved in recent times.
Asked about the Government's stand on GNLA, the Chief Secretary indicated that the Government would welcome any outfit which wants to come forward for discussion. On the reports that the HNLC is trying to regroup in Khasi and Jaintia Hills, Pariat said, "We will ensure that no re-grouping takes place."
| Statement |
| January 20 |
Shillong in East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya
|
Jailed GNLA's chief, Champion R. Sangma has decided to contest the February 23 assembly elections in Meghalaya, a legal official said. "He (Sangma) has already made up his mind to contest the upcoming Meghalaya assembly elections either from inside or outside the jail," Sangma's legal Counsel Sujit Dey said.
| Statement |
| January 21 |
West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya
|
SFs in a joint operation, arrested two GNLA linkmen from Beta Sing market under Ampati Police Station. According to the BSF, two youths Janath D Sangma (23) and Mathani Momin (19), were arrested. The operation party also recovered three mobile phones, two Indian SIM cards, two extra battery, and two driving licenses and a voter identity card from their possession.
| Non-Violent |
| January 22 |
Goalpara District of Assam
|
SFs, in an encounter killed two GNLA militants near Khardand under Krishnai Police Station.
| Violent |
| January 23 |
Shillong in East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya
|
With exactly a month left for the assembly elections in the State, cadres of GNLA have come out in the open to extend their support to prospective candidates in certain areas of Garo Hills. However, analytical intelligence studies carried out by security agencies have revealed that the terrorist group has not extended support to any particular political party.
| Statement |
| January 26 |
South West Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya
|
Two suspected GNLA cadres were lynched by an angry mob in South West Khasi Hills District. According to police, the cadres, who had demanded money from the coal quarry at a village in Nongkyllem were attacked by an irate mob, including the coal labourers.
| Violent |
| January 26 |
Shillong in East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya
|
Meghalaya Governor RS Mooshahary expressed grave concern over the growing influence of the GNLA in Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills Districts. Mooshahary said that the law and order situation in the State has been stable and the internal security scenario is by and large satisfactory. Governor also appealed the 'disgruntled elements' to seek peaceful resolution of their demands through established democratic processes. The Governor observed that activities of the HNLC have seen a decline in the past few years due to constant pressure mounted by the State Police.
| Statement |
| January 29 |
Shillong in East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya
|
GNLA 'chief' Champion Sangma was booked under MPDA by the East Garo Hills District administration. An official source said that the GNLA chief was booked under MPDA as per various provisions of law which include waging war against the country and also for heading a banned organization. The source added that the detention under MPDA was also due to the various criminal offences pending in the East Garo Hills District against the GNLA leader.
The MPDA detention came at a time when the court of the chief judicial magistrate is set to hear on January 30 a bail application of the GNLA leader in connection with his arrest in Pynursla in East Khasi Hills.
| Non-violent |
| January 30 |
Shillong in East Khasi Hills District in Meghalaya
|
Jailed GNLA 'chairman' Champion R. Sangma will appeal against his detention under the MPDA although his intention to contest in the ensuing Assembly elections has not yet receded. On January 30, Champion received a copy of the order from West Garo Hills District magistrate Pravin Bakshi in relation to his detention under the act. He had received a similar order on January 29 from East Garo Hills District magistrate Vijay Kumar Mantri. The contention of both Bakshi and Mantri was that if Champion is allowed to remain at large, he will "act in a manner prejudicial to the security of the state and maintenance of public order in the district".
| Non-violent |
| January 31 |
East Garo Hills District in Meghalaya
|
Suspected GNLA militants targeted Jonathon Sangma, an Independent candidate contesting from Williamnagar, during a public meeting held at Dawa Songgital in the same District.
| Violent |
| January 31 |
NS
|
Central Intelligence sources indicated that candidates, who have connections with GNLA can make use of the militant outfit by offering them cash and other incentives in this elections to target the opponents, which according to them needs to be prevented.
| Statement |
| January 31 |
North Garo Hills District of Meghalaya
|
Suspected militants belonging to the GNLA targeted a Government revenue collection point belonging to the DMR lobbing a hand grenade that failed to explode.
| Violent |
| January 31 |
Shillong in East Khasi Hills District in Meghalaya
|
The first batch of 10 companies of Central paramilitary forces has been dispatched to Garo Hills on January 31 for election duty. The State had sought a total of 76 companies of paramilitary forces to maintain law and order during the polls which the Central Government has agreed to provide. A police official said the 10 companies of Central paramilitary personnel arrived in the State on January 30. Due to a spurt in militant activities unleashed by the GNLA in Garo Hills, the region has become more vulnerable as compared to other districts of the State. Also, though the ANVC-B and its parent body, the ANVC, signed the draft peace agreement with the State and the Union Governments there has been no reduction in insurgent activities in the region.
| Non-Violent |
| February 2 |
East Garo Hills District of Meghalaya
|
GNLA militants stormed Williamnagar District jail where they shot dead the assistant jailor and injured a warder in East Garo Hills District. "GNLA cadres entered Williamnagar district jail and shot dead assistant jailor Neil Warjri. The warder Sharai Sing Thabah was seriously injured in the jail compound near the gate," East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Vijay Kumar Mantri said from New Delhi.
| Violent |
| February 3 |
West Garo hills in Meghalaya
|
The injured warder of Williamnagar District jail (East Garo Hills District), Sharai Sing Thabah, succumbed to his injuries. As reported earlier, suspected GNLA militants attacked the Williamnagar District killing assistant jailor, Neil Warjri on February 2.
| Violent |
| February 3 |
East Garo Hills District of Meghalaya
|
East Garo Hills District administration stated that the incident was carried out by Breakaway faction of the ANVC-B and not from the GNLA as thought of earlier. East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Vijay Kumar Mantri said it has been confirmed that the cadres of the ANVC-B were responsible for the attack.
| Statement |
| February 3 |
East Khasi hills District of Meghalaya
|
DGP Kulbir Krishan said that an investigation has been started and that they cannot confirm whether the attack was carried out by ANVC-B or GNLA.
| Statement |
| February 4 | South West Garo Hills in Meghalaya |
The BSF launched an operation and arrested a GNLA militant, identified as Chengbath Momin, from Mahendraganj. He also admitted to his involvement in the kidnapping of a coal baron of Gasuapara and collection of Rs 500,000 as ransom.
| Non-violent |
| February 4 |
NS
|
ANVC-B denied any hand in the Willimnagar District jail attack and said its name has been dragged in by some "vested interests". "We condemn the Willimnagar incident and we deny having a hand in the attack. The ANVC -B is being dragged in because of some vested interests". Willimnagar is Sohan D Shira's [Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) 'Commander-in-chief'] stronghold and our influence in that area is not much. Accusing ANVC (B) seems more like a cover-up statement to target our cadres and to derail the peaceful initiative," the outfit said in a statement.
| Statement |
| February 5 |
East Garo Hills District in Meghalaya
|
Police exchanged fire with eight-member GNLA group lead by Williamnagar 'deputy area commander', Marcuish had taken shelter inside a forest at Songsak Rongdol village.
| Violent |
| February 6 |
East Garo Hills District in Meghalaya
|
A fierce gunbattle broke out between SFs and GNLA militants at Bolchugre village in Songsak.
| Violent |
| February 6 |
Shillong in East Khasi Hills District
|
The arrested GNLA 'chairman', Champion R Sangma has decided not contest the elections for the State Assembly on February 23. This became clear when Champion did not file nomination on February 6, which was the last day for filing nominations. Earlier, the decision of GNLA 'chairman' to contest the upcoming election was conveyed to the media by his lawyer, Sujit Dey, on January 19.
| Non-Violent |
| February 7 |
Kamrup (Rural) District of Assam
|
Two militants of the GNLA were killed, in a encounter with the SFs, along the Assam-Meghalaya border at Ambringkona. The slain militants are yet to be identified. SFs recovered two 7.65mm pistols, seven rounds of ammunition, a large quantity of AK-47 rifles and two demand notes of the outfit.
| Violent |
| February 9 |
West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya
|
SFs arrested two GNLA militants including the 'deputy area commander' of West Garo Hills and recovered arms and ammunition after an operation. Police recovered one AK-47 rifle, 55 rounds of live ammunition and communication equipments among others from the hide out of the militants.
| Violent |
| February 10 |
NS
|
GNLA has blamed former State DGP-Prisons, Kulbir Krishan for the death of Assistant Jailer Neil Warjri and Warder Sarai Sing Thabah at the hands of ANVC-B militants during the attack on Williamnagar jail on February 2. GNLA's 'political affairs secretary', Bikdot Nikjang Marak said that GNLA is not connected to the cold blooded murder of the two jail staff and we regret condemnation of some sections of society against us. A jail staff is not a Policeman and GNLA has no reason to target unarmed and innocent employees. Those who condemn us should first unearth the truth before pointing their finger at us."
| Statement |
| February 10 | East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya |
On specific inputs regarding GNLA activities, the BSF troops deployed in East Khasi Hills District launched an operation and arrested one GNLA cadre identified as Dawin N Sangma from Dangar.
| Non-violent |
| February 10 | East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya |
On the information provided by the cadre, BSF troops along with Meghalaya Police carried out a joint operation late night and arrested another GNLA cadre identified as Suresh S Sangma (20) from Mawsynram and recovered a cell phone without SIM from his possession.
| Non-violent |
| February 11 | West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya |
Police in West Garo Hills District arrested a GNLA cadre and recovered a crude bomb from his possession. Police said that the militant identified as T. Sangma intended to throw the bomb in a market place.
| Non-violent |
| February 11 | South West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya |
Security forces arrested a GNLA militant and an OWG of the outfit from an area near the Indo-Bangladesh border in South West Garo Hills District. The GNLA militant was identified as Mariours N Sangma (26). A country-made gun and ammunition were recovered from Sangma's possession along with a mobile phone and camouflage uniforms.
| Non-violent |
| February 11 | South West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya |
SFs arrested one GNLA OWG identified as Jarbish A Sangma (19) in Ajangre.
| Non-violent |
| February 13 | New Delhi |
Meghalaya Governor, RS Mooshahary while praising the State Government for the "commendable" job it has done in containing the activities of militant groups said law and order situation in the State is under control. Speaking at the two-day conference of Governors, Mooshahary said the State was fully geared up for the February 23 elections. "The activities of HNLC are on decline in Khasi-Jainita Hills," the Governor said adding the peace agreement with the Garo militant outfit ANVC would be signed shortly. "However, the increased activities of the GNLA and its growing influence in Garo Hills and parts of West Khasi Hills is a matter of concern," he added.
| Statement |
| February 14 | East Garo Hills-West Garo Hills Districts of Meghalaya |
Suspected GNLA militants shot dead a Nokma (village head) identified as Spinder Areng of Daribokgre near Nokrek Biosphere Reserve bordering East and West Garo Hills District suspecting him to be a Police informer.
| Violent |
| February 15 | East Garo Hills District of Meghalaya |
A group of militants fired in the air at Williamnagar market in East Garo Hills District creating panic among the traders in the area. Police suspect the role of either ANVC-B or GNLA behind the Williamnagar market firing incident. The militants escaped probably crossing the Simsang River.
| Violent |
| February 17 | East Garo Hills District in Meghalaya |
The East Garo Hills District administration has increased the presence of security personnel following the recovery of GNLA pamphlets from a roadside in Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District on February 16. East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Vijay Mantri, said, two additional companies of central paramilitary forces are already in Williamnagar to ensure that there is no disturbance by the GNLA during the election. There are as many as 69 hyper sensitive polling stations in the District and out of this around 40 per cent are under Williamnagar. Songsak and Rongjeng are the other vulnerable areas.
| Statement |
| February 18 | East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya |
GNLA 'chief' Champion Sangma, who is currently booked under the MPDA, has lodged an FIR against the Director General (Prisons) Kulbir Krishan with an intention to bring out the 'truth' behind the Williamnagar jail attack in which Assistant Jailor Neil Warjri and Warder Sarai Singh Thabah were shot dead when a group of militants attacked the jail earlier this month. Reliable sources, on February 18, informed that the Champion lodged the FIR at the Sadar Police Station on February 9 through the Superintendent of Jails but the FIR has not been forwarded to the respective Police Station.
| Non-violent |
| February 20 | Goalpara District of Assam |
An unidentified GNLA militant was killed in an encounter with SFs at Dokapara under Lakhipur police station of. The Police recovered a 7.65mm US-made pistol, two magazines, seven rounds of ammunition, letter heads of GNLA and a bike from the victim, a police source in Lakhipur said.
| violent |
| February 23 | Shillong in East Khasi Hills |
Meghalaya registered nearly 88 per cent turnout of voters in a peaceful poll conducted despite the boycott of the election by the Khasi Hills-based HNLC, and the threat from GNLA in some pockets of Garo Hills. The total percentage of polling in the 2008 Assembly election was 89.04 per cent.
| Statement |
| February 27 |
East Khasi Hills District in Meghalaya
|
GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma's ongoing trial in the court is expected to take another six months for completion. The GNLA leader is currently lodged at the Shillong District jail under the MPDA.
| Statement |
| March 4 |
Shillong in East Khasi Hills Distinct
|
MPCC 'working president', Deborah Marak, who was elected from Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District, said she was open for any probe on the allegations by her opponents that she won the seat with the support of militants. After GNLA militants tried to disrupt an election rally of Independent candidate, Jonathone N Sangma, he had lodged a complaint with the Williamnagar District Electoral Officer saying that the GNLA had sent letters to some villages asking people not to vote for him but instead they should support Congress candidate Deborah Marak.
| Statement |
| March 7 |
South Garo Hills district of Meghalaya
|
A non-tribal businessman was arrested from Chokpot for working with the GNLA. The non-tribal trader identified as Debasis Chakraborty, was picked up following source information about his involvement with militants.
| Non-violent |
| March 14 | Shillong in East Khasi Hills Distinct |
The BSF deployed in Meghalaya sector, which guards the 443-kilometer Indo-Bangla border along Meghalaya, has arrested as many as 44 Bangladeshi immigrants in 2013.
The BSF also arrested 10 Bangladeshi smugglers and five Indian smugglers and seized FICN worth INR 70,000 besides arresting two Bangladeshi racketeers.
The BSF also arrested nine GNLA militants and seven linkmen in 2013.
| Statement |
| March 18 | Shillong in East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya |
GNC legislator, Clifford Marak questioned the State Governor's address on law and order situation while citing a few instances which contradicted the governor's statement that law and order situation in the State was well-under control. Stating that militant activities are happening on a daily basis in Garo Hills, Marak lambasted the Police department for its inefficiency in ensuring safety and protection to the residents of Garo Hills. Referring to the agreement signed between the Union Government, the State Government and the ANVC-B to grant more power including financial power to the GHADC, the GNC legislator said the same was never mentioned in the Governor's address while enquiring about the progress of the agreement made.
Requesting Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma to immediately address the ANVC and GNLA crisis in Garo Hills, Marak said, "Much confrontation is going on with GNLA cadres. I am not supporting, but common people are suffering because of it."
| Statement |
| March 21 | West Garo Hills in Meghalaya |
A militant, identified as Dikki M Sangma alias Bandi of GNLA escaped from one of the outfit's camps and surfaced in Jengjal (West Garo Hills District) to surrender before the BSF.
| Non-violent |
| March 31 |
Shillong in East Khasi Hills in Meghalaya
|
The magisterial probe into the attack on Williamnagar jail, which resulted in the death of two jail staff, has failed to pinpoint which militant group was involved in the crime. Assistant Jailor Neil Warjri and Warder Sarai Sing Thabah were killed in the attack by a gang of militants on the night of February 2. The findings revealed that the primary target of the attackers was assistant jailor Warjri and not Thabah. Soon after the incident, the Police claimed that it was the handiwork of GNLA. Later, Police confirmed that the attack was carried out by ANVC-B led by its commander Senbirth Marak alias Norok.
However, the probe report, does not clearly point out which group was involved in the attack as it said that Police should investigate into the matter further.
| Statement |
| March 31 |
Goalpara District in Assam
|
SFs, in an encounter, killed a GNLA militant near the Khashi Ghaghra area under Krishnai Police Station. The slain militant was identified as Khowak Marak. While, another GNLA militant identified as Niksrang Sangma was injured in the same incident.
| Violent |
| April 2 |
Shillong in east Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya
|
Meghalaya High Court issued notice to the Central and the State Governments on petition filed by jailed GNLA chief Champion R. Sangma challenging his detention under the MPDA. Sangma, who is in the Shillong jail, was booked under MPDA for waging war against India's sovereignty. Under the MPDA, a person is detained for a maximum of three years and the accused can get bail only after an Advisory Board chaired by a retired Judge gives a decision on the matter. "The Court has directed the Meghalaya government to file an affidavit against the petition filed by Sangma for booking him under MPDA," Sangma's legal Counsel Sujit Dey said.
A four weeks time has been given to the government to counter Sangma's petition, he said. Dey also termed the detention of the outlawed GNLA rebel Chief under MPDA as "violation the rights of Sangma under Article 22 (5) of the Indian constitution".
| Statement |
| April 8 |
North Garo Hills of Meghalaya
|
Two motorcycle borne suspected militants abducted the teenage son of a grocery trader from the Assam side of Mendipather town adjoining North Garo Hills District reportedly to demand ransom from the father. The GNLA and the ANVC-B besides dacoit gangs and recently formed UALA are said to operate in the area, Police sources informed.
| Violent |
| April 9 |
Shillong in East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya
|
The Meghalaya High Court directed the State Government to file its counter affidavit within four weeks with regards to the order of the West Garo Hills District Magistrate in January, 2013 for booking GNLA chairman Champion Sangma under the MPDA, 1995.
| Statement |
| April 10 |
South West Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya
|
IG of Border Security Force [Meghalaya Frontier], Sudesh Kumar sought the cooperation of the border residents in tackling the activities of militants including GNLA, Breakaway faction of ANVC-B and also smugglers. IG-BSF, Sudesh Kumar, while addressing border residents at Gumaghat in South West Khasi Hills, said that smugglers from across the border bring in FICN which destabilize the economy and ultimately impact adversely the people.
| Statement |
| April 11 |
Shillong in East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya
|
The magisterial probe report into the incident of February 2 in which an assistant jailor and warder were killed could not establish which militant group was involved in the attack, but it only said that they were armed militants. Home (Jail) Minister Roshan Warjri said eight to ten armed miscreants were responsible for the incident on February 2. The Police first blamed GNLA for the attack and subsequently put the responsibility on ANVC-B saying the attack was led by Singbirth N Marak alias Norok but now the Government is claiming that they were 'unidentified armed miscreants'.
The Meghalaya Assembly was however told that the Police are still hunting for the "unidentified" armed men who were behind the incident.
| statement |
| April 12 |
East Garo Hills District in Meghalaya
|
SFs killed two GNLA militants at Koksi Nengsat village under Songsak Police Station. While, an 'area commander' of the GNLA had a narrow escape, officials said. The slain militants were identified as Nangrepa and Imra . SFs recovered an AK-47 rifle with 91 live rounds, a 7.65 pistol with six rounds, three wireless sets, 50 detonators with safety fuse wires and four gelatine sticks, mobile phones and other equipment.
| Violent |
| April 13 |
Goalpara District of Assam
|
SFs arrested a GNLA militant, identified as Olman K. Marak, in Khardang .
| Non-violent |
| April 14 | West Garo Hills in Meghalaya |
Two GNLA cadres along with an overground female collaborator were arrested from Selsella region of West Garo Hills while travelling in an auto rickshaw to meet another cadre, identified as Togak.
| Non-Violent |
| April 16 | East Garo hills in Meghalaya |
A GNLA militant, identified as Tibat S Sangma alias Jeron, abandoned his 'sentry post' at a camp deep inside West Khasi Hills District to surrender before Police officials at Dobu in East Garo Hills.
| Non-Violent |
| April 16 | West Khasi Hills in Meghalaya |
One suspected GNLA cadre, identified as Aspin G Sangma (30), was arrested from Shallang in West Khasi Hills District. Sangma was carrying demand notes to distribute among all the coal traders and shop owners in Shallang market to raise funds for the outfit, a reliable source said.
| Non-violent |
| April 17 | Shillong in East Khasi hills of Meghalaya |
State Home minister Roshan Warjri said the GNLA, with support from Assam-based militant groups, had become a "potent force, comprising a large number of cadres, including active overground workers, adequate firepower, organizational capacity and command leadership". She said the outfit, which was active all over Garo hills, in certain areas of West Khasi Hills and in South West Khasi Hills, continued to be a cause for concern. Roshan Warjri further said that there were 165 militancy-related activities in the state in 2012. She assured the House that efforts were being made to improve intelligence network and enhance capabilities for effective intelligence-based operations. "We are expecting better results in the coming months," she added.
| Statement |
| April 17 | Shillong in East Khasi hills of Meghalaya |
The ties between the Assam based ULFA and the Meghalaya based GNLA have gone a step further from providing logistical support to jointly participating in training inside the jungles of Garo hills in Meghalaya, revealed a former GNLA cadre, Tibat Sangma alias Jeron who surrendered on April 16. The Assam-based outfit, which earlier depended heavily on the GNLA for shelter in the forests of Garo hills, movement of its cadres and weapons to and fro Bangladesh, is now jointly training of fresh recruits.
"We had as many as 10 Ulfa cadres undergoing training along with us in the Durama hills," said Tibat Sangma during his surrender to authorities in East Garo Hills District on April 16 morning after fleeing from a camp of the outfit in West Khasi Hills. According to the surrendered militant, such training of both the cadres has been going on for quite some time. The GNLA, on the other hand, has also benefited with the regular flow of high-end weapons to its fold and more importantly, the technical knowhow on the use of IED.
| Statement |
| April 21 | East Garo Hills District in Meghalaya |
SFs busted a makeshift camp of the GNLA that was being used to treat injured cadres and a large quantity of medicines seized from Rongjeng area in East Garo Hills Districts. A GNLA sentry atop a hill where the field camp was located fired at the approaching SF personals. A brief exchange of fire took place from both sides during which time the militants managed to escape with their weapons and cadres who were undergoing treatment inside the jungle camp.
| Non-Violent |
| April 22 | NS |
After facing defeat in the February 23 State Assembly polls, a Samajwadi Party candidate has allegedly joined the GNLA, a senior Meghalaya Police said. Rapiush Ch. Sangma (33), who had contested from Rongjeng constituency under East Garo Hills District, joined the GNLA soon after the counting of votes, which were held on February 28. Incidentally, Congress candidate Sengnam Marak, who is the younger brother of Dilash R Marak, the chief of the ANVC, won the assembly election.
"We have confirmed that Rapiush has been appointed as vice-chairman of the GNLA and he is hiding inside the thick jungles of Garo Hills," JFK Marak, the District Police chief of East Garo Hills said. "He (Rapiush) is a close aide of Sohan D. Shira, (the military wing chief of GNLA) and his objective joining the GNLA is to recoup the money, which he had spent during the polls, and with the hope that he will again contest the next polls "under the barrel of the gun," the official said.
| Statement |
| April 22 | North Garo Hills |
GNLA militants burnt a shop and fired at people in North Garo Hills District. In the incident, one truck driver, identified as Mahadeb Saha, and his helper, Oniras Rabha, both of Nogorbeta in Kamrup District in Assam, were injured.
| Violent |
| April 25 | NS |
The GNLA has ruled out any large scale surrender but said it is still open to talks. Ruling out surrender, the militant outfit reiterated conditional talks with the Government on the demand for a separate state for Garos. "We welcome any discussion across the table and we are ready for such a dialogue at any point of time," Bikdot Nikjang Marak, the 'political secretary' of the outfit added. Both the State and the Centre had ruled out any talks with the GNLA in the past and instead wanted the militants to come and surrender and deposit their arms and ammunition.
| Statement |
| April 28 |
Ri Bhoi District of Meghalaya
|
Based on complaints filed by a businessman, the Ri Bhoi Police arrested four sympathizers of GNLA, on charges of extortion, according to a report of April 29. While three of the sympathisers, Arengh Mukherji (26), Abrus Marak (18) and Nephosas Sangma (23) were arrested on March 20, the fourth, Dikki Sangma, was arrested on April 25 from Killing in Ri-Bhoi District. According to Police sources, the GNLA demanded a ransom of INR 200,000 from a businessman in Killing area under Khanapara Police Station on March 12 following which the latter reported the matter to Police.
| Non-violent |
| April 29 |
Shillong in East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya
|
The Government wants the GNLA to first eschew violence before initiating talks with them, according to a report. The GNLA recently offered to have talks with the Government, but asserted that it will not surrender. Reacting to this, a Home department official said that talks with the Government would be possible only if the GNLA stops violence. "The militant group has to first abjure the path of violence and extortion, then only we will be able to talk to them," the official added.
| Statement |
| May 1 |
West Khasi Hills in Meghalaya
|
The GNLA came upfront and issued notifications in some part of Shallang in West Khasi Hills as well as a tollgate at Songsak in East Garo Hills District, calling a bandh (shut down strike) of 15 days at Shallang from May 1 to 15. The notification ordered all shops to remain closed and all trucks to stay off the road at Shallang. A reliable source informed that earlier the GNLA had issued demand notes to shopkeepers, tollgates and coal traders. However no payment was made which irked the outfit. Coal traders and shopkeepers complained that the huge ransom of INR 1.5 to 2 million was beyond their capacity and hence they refused to pay. In one of the notification, it was boldly declared that if any one opposed the bandh they would be shot dead.
| Statement |
| May 3 |
Goalpara District in Assam
|
SFs arrested three suspected GNLA militants and recovered a 7.6 pistol with two live cartridges under Dudhnoi Police Station in Goalpara District. The apprehended GNLA cadres are Krispal Sangma, Bitram G Marak and Dharkham Marak. The cadres were arrested when they came to collect the extortion money from a businessman of Daranggiri area.
| Non-violent |
| May 5 |
South Garo Hills in Meghalaya
|
A trader from Chokpot bazaar in South Garo Hills was shot dead by suspected GNLA militants during a botched kidnapping attempt on in the morning. The incident occurred approximately a hundred yards from Chokpot police station.
| Violent |
| May 6 | South Garo Hills in Meghalaya |
A manager of a coal export company operating from Gasuapara in South Garo Hills near the international border with Bangladesh was abducted by suspected GNLA militants who came disguised as laborers in the night. "We have identified the group as that of GNLA area commander Pangkam who sent his cadres under one Odek to kidnap the coal company's manager," indicated District Superintendant of Police, Davis Nestell R Marak.
| Violent |
| May 10 | North Garo Hills |
Sophisticated weapons meant for Garo militants that was being smuggled in from Dimapur in Nagaland was intercepted by Police at Damas village in North Garo Hills District. A couple who was bringing in the weapons has also been arrested. The breakthrough came after North Garo Hills Police stopped a car with an Assam registration number at Damas village, on the border with Goalpara District (Assam), at around 6 pm. Packages inside rubber tubes were found concealed above the mudguards of the vehicle, Police said. When both package was opened up they found an AK 81 and an AK 56 rifle with 25 rounds of ammunition that had been sealed water tight. The couple, Joy Sonowal (50) and Barachi Mach (45) reportedly confessed to bringing in the weapons from an arms dealer based in Dimapur town of Nagaland. The weapons are believed to be for the GNLA outfit which operates in the Garo Hills region.
| Non-violent |
| May 12-13 |
West Garo Hills in Meghalaya
|
GNLA militants threatened to kill Congress legislator from Raksamgre in West Garo Hills District, Limison Sangma, if he does not pay an amount of INR 500,000 by May 18. The legislator informed that it was on May 12 that the GNLA 'area commander', Rang Dat, sent him an SMS asking him to pay the amount by May 14, failing which the militant threatened to kill him. The militant also sent another text message on May 13 reminding him to pay the amount by May 14 and after getting no response, the deadline was extended to May 18 through another text message sent on May 14. The legislator said that he has taken up the matter with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and also informed the local Police station about the issue. Limison said that in 2012, on three occasions, the GNLA had sent demand notes to him asking to pay an amount ranging from INR five million to INR 500,000.
| Violent |
| May 13 |
South Garo hills in Meghalaya
|
Unspecified number of school children had a narrow escape after suspected GNLA fired indiscriminately to avoid arrest in South Garo Hills District. According to Police, based on specific inputs, it was known that transaction of money was going to take place between GNLA militants and a businessman at Rongding Awe School playground. When Police reached the spot, heavily armed militants opened fire indiscriminately and the GNLA cadres managed to escape. However, Police arrested a businessman who was supposed to hand over the money to the militants. "We have arrested Uttam Marak, the businessman from the playground, who was alleged to handover over Rs 3 lakh to the GNLA area commander Rakkam D Shira," Police said. Police have booked him under various sections of the UAPA.
| Violent |
| May 15 | NS |
GNLA has denied its role in sending text messages to Congress legislator Limison Sangma. Sangma had lodged a complaint with the Police that the 'area commander' of GNLA Rang Dat was involved in sending text message to him demanding INR 500000. However, the 'political secretary' of GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang said that Rang Dat was not an 'area commander' but only a cadre of the outfit. According to Nikjang, the text messages demanding money could have been sent by some other criminals. The militant leader also claimed that the 'GNLA does not demand money from people but only asks for donations'.
The GNLA has announced that its 'anti-corruption wing' will ensure that corruption is eradicated from Garo Hills. The 'political secretary' of GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang, on May 15, alleged that all corruptions start with the MLAs and "to check corruption, we have formed an expert team and we will follow our own anti-corruption law". The GNLA leader also asked all the 24 Garo Hills legislators to learn from HSPDP leader, HS Lyngdoh for his continued demand for a separate Khasi-Jaintia State. The militant leader asked the Garo Hills politicians and others to join hands in their fight for a separate Garo State.
| Statement |
| May 20 | NS |
GNLA has again threatened to kill Meghalaya Congress legislator Limison D. Sangma for not complying with their extortion demands, Police said May 20. "We have been informed by the legislator that the GNLA has issued a 'death penalty' for not complying with their extortion demands," Mukesh Kumar Singh, the district police chief of West Garo Hills, said. Earlier, Sangma had received a text message in which the GNLA allegedly demanded INR 500000, and if not paid they would kidnap and kill him. Though, the tribal Garo outfit denied sending the text message, Sangma, however, said it was the GNLA which had made the demand.
| Violent |
| May 20 | NS |
The GNLA has sought a CBI inquiry into the alleged creation of ANVC-B with the 'blessings of the Meghalaya Government and the State Police'. The political secretary of GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang, said that with the UALA 'commander-in-chief' Singbirth Marak alias Norrok X Momin revealing that the Police and the Meghalaya Government provided arms to ANVC-B to take on the GNLA, the Government should order a high level probe into the incident. The UALA chief recently made a statement to the media that he was witness to the handing over of three sophisticated weapons to ANVC-B by Meghalaya Police with the blessings of the Meghalaya Government in East Garo Hills District several months ago to take on the GNLA outfit.
| Statement |
| May 22 | West garo hills in meghalaya |
Tura Police successfully intercepted a group of arms suppliers for militant groups, suspected to be GNLA and the ANVC-B, and arrested eight persons besides seizing pistols and ammunition from Chibragre picnic spot of Rongram near Tura in West Garo Hills District. Two 7.62 mm pistols along with seven rounds of ammunition and five magazine holders along with eight mobile phones and INR 5000 were seized from the possession of the arrested persons.
The breakthrough came following intelligence inputs about a possible meeting between Assam-based arms suppliers and their middlemen near Tura. The Police revealed that the gang had brought the weapons allegedly to sell to ANVC-B militants who had put up an order to buy them but had also previously sold a similar consignment to the GNLA. The weapons were brought to Garo Hills from Bongaigaon region after it was delivered to the Assam trio by the main supplier. The Assam arms dealers were then to sell the weapons for INR 70,000 each to the local dealers who in turn were to resell it to the Garo militant groups for a price of INR 100000-150000 each.
| Non-violent |
| May 22 | NS |
AIGU has demanded a departmental inquiry against present Deputy Superintendant of Police of Nongstoin, TC Chacko, after allegations by the UALA chief that the Police official had handed over three sophisticated weapons to ANVC-B to take on the GNLA, according to a report. Though the ANVC-B has denied the allegations, the GNLA and CSWO have also sought for a detailed inquiry into the allegations.
| Statement |
| May 22 | Shillong in East Khasi hills in Meghalaya |
The High Court of Meghalaya set aside the detention order of GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma issued by the District Magistrate, Tura, following the failure of the authority to inform the militant chief of his rights to make a representation against the order, besides other loopholes.
| Statement |
| May 23 | West Khasi Hills in Meghalaya |
Suspected GNLA militants, morning opened fired at the Construction Company based at Swangre in West Khasi Hills District leading to retaliation from Police personnel who were guarding the company premises. As the Police personnel opened retaliatory fire, the militant fled from the scene. Though no casualty or injury was reported on either side, search at the site led to the recovery of a live grenade, one SLR magazine and one AK magazine. Sources informed that recently the GNLA served demand notes to the company headquarter located at Samanda in East Garo Hills where senior officials of the company are stationing. However, the company refused to pay any money to the GNLA, which might have infuriated the militant group leading to the failed attack on the Swangre camp, sources added.
| Violent |
| May 26 | Shillong in East Khasi Hills in Meghalaya |
The Centre has made it clear that it would not talk to any more splinter militant groups in future. The annual report of MHA for 2012-13 said that the Government was ready to hold talks with any group or outfit which is willing to abjure violence, lay down arms and agree to abide by the Constitution of India. "However, if there is a splinter group in future, then Government will not consider talking to them," the report said.
The militancy scenario in Meghalaya reveals that the members of existing three militant groups in Garo Hills, GNLA, ANVC-B and UALA were once part and parcel of the mother organization ANVC which is currently under ceasefire. While the current 'commander-in-chief' of GNLA, Sohan Shira was the 'area commander' of ANVC, the 'chairman' of ANVC-B, Rimpu Marak was the 'spokesperson' of ANVC. Further, the present 'commander-in-chief' of UALA was a senior ANVC-B cadre.
| Statement |
| June 1 | NS |
The 'area commander' of GNLA in Songsak abducted as many as 15 secretaries of Village Employment Council dealing with MGNREGA. They were released only after paying INR 10,000 each from the MGNREGA funds.
| Violent |
| June 1 | East Garo Hills in Meghalaya |
a medical doctor from East Garo Hills was recently served with an extortion notice of INR 300000. Sources have revealed that the doctors would be going on strike and threatened not to attend to their duties as a mark of protest against the demand notes coming from GNLA leader Sohan D Shira. Sources informed that recently Sohan Shira also demanded INR 100 million from the road construction company BSC-C & C (JV). The company has been served with an ultimatum to either pay up or leave. The Hyderabad based company is engaged in road construction project linking West Khasi Hills with Garo Hills.
| Violent |
| June 5 | New Delhi |
Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma while addressing the Conference of Chief Ministers expressed concern over the rise in the unlawful activities of the GNLA. Sangma said, "Even though internal security situation in Meghalaya continues to be stable and under control, the GNLA remains a matter of concern."
Expressing concern over the recent activities of the ANVC-B which has even called for road blockades and bandhs, Sangma said that even though a peace pact was signed with the ANVC, way back in 2004, lack of resources to settle them and delay in arriving at a settlement resulted in emergence of fringe militant outfits.
He stated, "Other indigenous militant outfits like ANVC, HNLC and LAEF have been largely neutralized following sustained efforts, but they are instigated by the likes ULFA, NDFB and NSCN who use the state as a sanctuary and passage to both Bangladesh and rest of the region." The proscribed HNLC is almost finished but over a dozen of their cadres are still holed up across the border in Bangladesh, the Chief Minister said while adding that with the help of the Centre they too can be nabbed.
He also said that insurgents from neighbouring states use the long and porous Bangladesh border along Meghalaya to their advantage. He raised concern over rising militancy in the hill state due to two factors- lack of development and thin police presence- as the ones largely contributing to the continuance of militancy in the region and the State.
Demanding that six companies of Central Armed Police Forces which were taken away from Meghalaya for elections in Karnataka be redeployed, Sangma sought six more companies in order to deal with the militant menace in totality. He also called for more police and border outposts to check the militants.
| Statement |
| June 5 | North Garo Hills District / Meghalaya |
A Shillong (East Khasi Hills District) bound MTC bus was set ablaze by suspected armed GNLA cadres in North Garo Hills District. It was at around 7.40 am that five to six suspected GNLA militants stopped the MTC bus coming from Tura at Dingrepa, nine kilometres from Bajengdoba in North Garo Hills and gave just four minutes for the passengers, mostly students, to come out of the vehicle. The militants fired in the air to force the occupants out of the bus and then set it ablaze. Empty cases of ammunition of weapons were recovered from the site after the militants fired in the air.
Police recovered a note of GNLA, written both in English and Garo, which was earlier handed over to the driver. The note, written in the letter pad of GNLA, said that the outfit resorted to violence since the Government was indifferent to its various demands. The GNLA has stepped up violence resorting to extortion and kidnapping in parts of Garo Hills. The militant outfit is on an extortion spree in Garo Hills even targeting the Government servants including BDOs and doctors.
| violent |
| June 7 | East Garo hills / Meghalaya |
An exchange of fire took place between East Garo Hills Police and GNLA cadres in a densely forested area at Adugre village near Williamnagar in West Garo Hills District. According to East Garo Hills Superintendent of Police, Jerry Marak, the incident occurred when a Police team along with SWAT and CoBRA personnel was returning after destroying a camp of GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira.
"The police raided the camp of Sohan D Shira but the militants had left the camp just before the arrival of the police, but while the police team was returning after destroying the camp an encounter took place with the GNLA cadres who were returning to the camp," Marak informed. After a brief exchange of fire, the militants fled away and no causality was reported on either side. A 7.65 pistol with 4 magazines, IEDs, detonators, gelatin sticks, electronic timers, demand letters of ULFA and other incriminating documents were recovered from the site.
| Violent |
| June 11 | Meghalaya |
In a statement issued, the 'political secretary' of GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang, while condemning the act of the Police on the issue of Rimpu Marak's disappearance, said that it was to prevent the ANVC-B 'chairman' from spilling the beans on the formation of the militant outfit by the Police and some political leaders from Garo Hills ahead of the Assembly elections, that the Police now have arrested him. The militant leader maintained that the Police and some politicians had formed the ANVC-B, a faction of the parent body ANVC which is currently under ceasefire, to take on the GNLA cadres. "We had said in the past that there is a nexus between the police and ANVC (B) and now the so called 'disappearance' of Rimpu at the behest of the police is to prevent the ANVC (B) chief from revealing the nexus," the GNLA leader claimed.
| Statement |
| June 11 |
Shillong / East Khasi Hills / Meghalaya
|
Aiming to prevent youths from the rural areas from taking up arms by joining militant groups, the State Government is now mulling to set up more residential schools at the block level. Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, while admitted to the fact that the tendency of youths to join militant outfits is on the rise, advocated on the need to set up more residential schools in the blocks. For such an initiative, resources will prove to be a challenge and therefore we would like the support of the Ministry of Home Affairs," Sangma said during a high-level meeting to review the overall law and order scenario in the State, which was attended by Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami and senior Government officials on June 11 evening.
Besides setting up schools in the blocks, the State Government is also contemplating to seek special package for Meghalaya from the Centre to promote sporting activities to veer the youths away from the path of violence."Children as young as 12 years are joining the militant outfits as they are often lured by these organizations," the Chief Minister noted. There have been reports surfacing from time to time on use of child soldiers by Garo Hills based militant outfits including the GNLA and the ANVC-B.
| Statement |
| June 13 |
Shillong / East Khasi Hills / Meghalaya
|
In a major setback to the jailed GNLA rebel 'chief' Champion R Sangma, Meghalaya High Court, dismissed his petition challenging his detention order under the MPDA. On January 29, East Garo Hills deputy commissioner Vijay Kumar Mantri had booked Sangma under MPDA for various charges including waging war against the country and heading a banned outfit.
| Statement |
| June 13 |
Guwahati / Kamrup (metro) / Assam
|
Guwahati City Police arrested three arms carriers and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from the ISBT. The arrested trio was identified as Jonir Marak, Arbit Sangma and Mohammad Jahid Hussain. SFs recovered one AK 56 rifle with a magazine, 375 rounds of ammunition, a short barrel factory-made gun, one RPG launcher, seven RPG cells, four cell phones and rupees 50 thousand in cash. "Jonir and Arbit are linkmen of the GNLA, while Hussain is a local agent. They brought the consignment through courier from Dimapur and were going to take it to Meghalaya," L R Bishnoi, IGP-CWR of Assam Police said.
| Non-violent |
| June 16 | East Garo hills / Meghalaya |
Suspected GNLA militants lobbed a grenade at Williamnagar Police Station in East Garo Hills District. However, there were no casualties. Police officials believe the act was in retaliation for the attack on GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira's camp a week ago.
| Violent |
| June 19 | Shillong / East Khasi hills / Meghalaya |
Three out of the six companies of CAPFs, deputed to tackle militancy in Garo Hills, particularly violent activities of GNLA, have arrived in the State and the remaining three more companies will arrive likely next week. Informing this, State Home Minister Roshan Warjri said that the forces were at the disposal of the State Government and they would be deployed to tackle militancy. According to Warjri, the forces would be deployed to carry out counter-insurgency operations. There are already a few companies of CRPF under the CoBRA engaged in joint anti-insurgency operations in Garo Hills along with the Police.
Social Welfare Minister Deborah Marak has called for negotiation with the Garo rebel group GNLA.
| Statement |
| June 24 | South West Garo Hills / Meghalaya |
The GNLA served a demand note to the Saint Claret Mission based at Ampati in South West Garo Hills District. The amount demanded was, however, confusing as in words it read 'one crore five lac' but in figures it was quoted as 1,50,000.
| Violent |
| June 29 | West Garo Hills / Meghalaya |
West Garo Hills Police arrested two GNLA cadres and an over ground worker from Kherapara area in the night and seized two pistols. GNLA cadre Jintu R Marak (19) hailing from Chokpot was caught from near Kherapara around 6 pm. From his possession, Police recovered one 7.65 pistol with five live rounds of ammunition. An over ground supporter of the outfit identified as Nirmal Ch Momin (18) hailing from Momegre village was also arrested with the cadre. Following a lead on Jintu's arrest, Police teams raided another village of Kherapara known as Ontapara and arrested GNLA cadre Bilsrang Marak (19) and confiscated another 7.65 pistol.
| Non-violent |
| June 29 | Meghalaya |
The GNLA has threatened to launch a 'street war' against Security Forces if the Government continues its anti-insurgency operation by bringing in more forces to Garo Hills. The statement assumes significance as the State Government is continuously asking the MHA to sanction more forces to combat the worsening law and order situation in the region. The outfit's political secretary Bikdot Nikjang said the security forces in the name of anti-insurgency operations were harassing innocent villagers. Responding to the State government's SOS to send additional forces to tackle worsening law and order situation in Garo Hills after violence erupted in Tura, the Centre sanctioned six companies of CRPF and four companies of BSF recently.
GNLA military chief Sohan D Shira has denied his outfit's hand in serving a demand note on missionaries involved in providing education in the Garo Hills and has blamed former cadres of being involved in extortion using.
| Statement |
| July 2 | West Khasi Hills / Meghalaya |
Police personnel and the suspected GNLA militants exchanged fire at Swangre in West Khasi Hills.
| Violent |
| July 14 | South Garo Hills / Meghalaya |
A heavy exchange of fire broke out between Police commandos and GNLA militants in a remote area of South Garo Hills. SWAT commandos of the Meghalaya Police raided Agreng village under Nangalbibra area of South Garo Hills and came across a group of GNLA militants taking shelter in a house which was occupied by civilians including children. As the police approached the house at 11 AM the militants reportedly opened fire leading to a brief encounter. The militants were reportedly led by area 'commander' Jongman.
Police claim that one militant was injured in the encounter. From the scene of the encounter, Police recovered AK magazine holders and live ammunition, several numbers of .22, .32 and 9 mm rounds and documents belonging to the GNLA.
| Violent |
| July 15 | NS |
ANVC-B is ready to include GNLA 'commander-in-chief', Sohan D Shira in the ongoing peace process with Government. In a statement issued, ANVC-B leader, Doang D Shira said that this (making Sohan a part of peace pact) could change the situation scenario in Garo Hills. "We are open and ready to include Sohan in the signing of the peace pact," the ANVC-B leader said.
| Statement |
| July 15 | Shillong / East Khasi Hills |
The arrested GNLA 'chairman' Champion R Sangma has served a legal notice on local English daily for publishing a "derogatory news report with an intention to defame him". In the legal notice, which was issued through his legal counsel to the publisher of the newspaper, Sangma demanded the newspaper to publish an unconditional public apology. In the news report, it was alleged that the GNLA chairman got access to a cell phone and was making over 1,000 calls every month from the jail. It was also reported that Champion was having access to a female ward of the jail.
| Statement |
| July 15 | Dispur / Assam |
State Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain stated in the Assembly that altogether 78 persons were killed and 191 abducted by different insurgent outfits in 601 incidents, during the last two years, when 20 security personnel were also killed. The ULFA-I had killed 16 persons, including a 10-year-old girl, a four-year-old boy and girl each, while the anti-talks faction of NDFB-ATF had killed 12 civilians including a 10-year-old-boy, Hussain said.
The KPLT killed 12 persons, NSCN-IM/K killed four, Meghalaya based GNLA killed three, KLO, KRA, DNRF, HPC and Dima Halim Daogah- Jewel Garlosa (DHD-Jewel) killed one each, besides 25 by other militant formations.
A total of 135 militants were killed and 2,749 arrested during the period, he said. To another question, the minister said five underground outfits are active in Assam and they are ULFA-Liberation, NDFB, KPLT, KLO, MULTA and HUM Assam unit.
State Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain stated in the Assembly that altogether 78 persons were killed and 191 abducted by different insurgent outfits in 601 incidents, during the last two years, when 20 security personnel were also killed. The ULFA-I had killed 16 persons, including a 10-year-old girl, a four-year-old boy and girl each, while the anti-talks faction of NDFB-ATF had killed 12 civilians including a 10-year-old-boy, Hussain said. The KPLT killed 12 persons, NSCN-IM/K killed four, Meghalaya based GNLA killed three, KLO, KRA, DNRF, HPC and Dima Halim Daogah- Jewel Garlosa (DHD-Jewel) killed one each, besides 25 by other militant formations. A total of 135 militants were killed and 2,749 arrested during the period, he said. To another question, the minister said five underground outfits are active in Assam and they are ULFA-Liberation, NDFB, KPLT, KLO, MULTA and HUM Assam unit. ULFA-I has urged Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to give "an honourable and decent repatriation" to its jailed 'general secretary' Anup Chetia.
| Statement |
| July 17 | NS |
GNLA out rightly rejected the ANVC-B offer of joining them for peace talks, accusing them of collaborating with the Meghalaya Government in 'eliminating' their cadres to weaken their outfit. In response to the statement issued by the 'publicity secretary' of the ANVC-B, Doang D Shira, inviting his organization to join the ongoing peace process with the Government, GNLA leader, Sohan D Shira reiterated that such a proposal from the rival outfit cannot be entertained since there is a move to try and bring the rebel group to its knees by the State Government in collaboration with the ANVC-B.
While it has distanced itself from having any involvement in the ANVC-B's offer of talks, the Sohan D Shira-led GNLA has said that it was ready to talk with the Central Government. "We will talk to the Centre, not with the ANVC," announced Sohan D Shira in a communique. He also claimed that arms including AK rifles supplied by Meghalaya Police DSP Chako to the ANVC-B were being used in operation to eliminate its cadres.
| Statement |
| July 17 | East Garo Hills |
Two militants who had deserted the GNLA's Chokpot camp two months ago were arrested from the Samanda area of East Garo Hills District while they were travelling in a Sumo.
| Non-violent |
| July 18 | East Garo Hills |
SFs recovered a shipment of arms meant for GNLA C-in-C, Sohan D Shira, from a vehicle at Chinabat village located on the main highway between Tura and Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District. SFs recovered three automatic rifles, an AK-56, an AK mounted with a bipod stand along with a drum magazine and a 5.56 calibre AK rifle fitted with a UBGL, two live UBGL grenades and six rounds of different caliber ammunition from the vehicle. One of the three occupants of the vehicle, identified as Bit A Sangma of Nagaland, was arrested by SFs.
| Non-violent |
| July 18 | NS |
The ANVC-B asked GNLA 'C-in-C' Sohan D Shira to reconsider the outfit's invitation to join the ongoing peace process with the government. The 'publicity secretary' of ANVC-B, Doang D. Shira said, "Sohan should reconsider our invitation and see through the possibility of being part of the final settlement which will pave way for real peace." According to ANVC-B, Sohan must understand that he was one of the signatories of the ANVC's ceasefire agreement in 2004. The GNLA leader had earlier out rightly rejected the ANVC-B's offer of joining the ongoing peace process.
| Statement |
| July 19 | East Garo Hills |
The 'second in command' of the GNLA 'central command' identified as Azan Marak alias Jimmy of Bolkingre has been shot dead in a three hours encounter with East Garo Hills Police at Bansamgre village in East Garo Hills District in the morning.
A security alert was sounded after the GNLA threatened to launch retaliatory attacks on Security Forces following the encounter. "We have placed security forces on high alert after the GNLA has threatened to attack on security forces in Garo Hills," Peter Hanaman, the Meghalaya Police chief said. "We are not taking the (GNLA) threat lightly as Sohan D Shira (the chief of the military wing) wanted to boost the morale of his cadres following the gun battle," Hanaman said.
| Violent |
| July 20 | West Garo Hills |
Suspected GNLA militants abducted a non-tribal cashew and cloth merchant, identified as Vijay Bihar, from Rimrangpara in the Dalu area of West Garo Hills District. The Tura-based trader was abducted from the market by five militants brandishing small weapons.
| Violent |
| July 21 | East Khasi Hills |
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma hinted that the State Government is willing to hold talks with GNLA that unleashed a reign of terror in Garo Hills over the past few years. Sangma said, "We have to continue necessary measures to neutralise militant outfits but at the same time, doors for achieving sustained peace cannot be closed." The Chief Minister pointed out that the Government should be receptive to any proposal from any outfit to take part in peace process.
| Statement |
| July 22 | Meghalaya |
ANVC-B once again extended an invitation to the GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira to be a part of the ongoing truce agreement with the State and the Central Government for the sake of lasting peace in Garo Hills. ANVC-B leader Rimpu Marak said, "We do not want our comrades led by Sohan to be left out of the benefits that are coming our way for the best of our people and the area we want them to be part of the settlement, equally sharing our platform, benefits and status in re-building our society."
| Statement |
| July 22 | West Garo Hills / Meghalaya |
West Garo Hills District Police raided a hideout of one of the 'area commanders' of the GNLA in the Selsella region and seized arms and explosives after a brief encounter. The seizure included a pistol, hand grenade, 200 grams of explosives, two magazines and 30 rounds of ammunition
| Non-violent |
| July 22 | West Garo hills / Meghalaya |
Tura Police arrested four over ground workers of GNLA, identified as Tengsan A Sangma (35), Illhomes Ch Sangma (19), Amseng B Marak (20) and Sengman T Sangma (25) of Darengre. Police said that those arrested were working under the directions of two GNLA cadres - Baichung and Jack.
| Non-violent |
| July 24 | Meghalaya |
A GNLA who reportedly sustained injuries during the July 19, 2013, encounter in East Garo Hills District, which resulted in the killing of the 'deputy commander' of GNLA, Pilon M Sangma alias Marcus, succumbed to his injuries on an unspecified date.
| violent |
| July 25 | East Garo Hills / Meghalaya |
A GNLA cadre, identified as Sophon N Sangma alias Rongrim alias Taklu, who escaped when the arms consignment was seized from a vehicle at Chinabat village in East Garo Hills on July 18, surrendered before the East Garo Hills Police on July 25 along with one .22 pistol and six rounds of live ammunitions.
| Non-violent |
| July 27 | West Garo hills / Meghalaya |
SFs arrested four GNLA militants in Dengasi under Garobadha Police Station of West Garo Hills District. The arrested militants were identified as Jinda M Sangma (21), Welbius M Sangma (25), Waljang Ch Sangma (24) and Pramod T Sangma (21). SFs recovered a grenade launcher and two explosive device containing RDX.
| Non-violent |
| July 28 | West Garo hills / Meghalaya |
SFs arrested a suspected GNLA militant, identified as Sanjay Sangma, from the Tikrikilla region of West Garo Hills District. The SFs also recovered a pistol and a detonator from the possession of the arrested militant.
| Non-violent |
| July 29 | West Garo Hills |
An exchange of fire took place between the GNLA militants and the Police at Sasatgre village in the West Garo Hills. The encounter which took place at noon lasted for approximately twenty minutes. The militants escaped the attack but left behind a 9mm pistol along with live ammunition and a cartridge of a shotgun, several GNLA documents, demand notes, stamps and a bagful of splinters meant for making IEDs
West Garo Hills SP, Mukesh Kr Singh said, "They (GNLA) were coming to Tura to issue demand notes on civilians under their new commander when we intercepted the group at Sasatgre. We narrowly missed getting him (Baichung)." Baichung Momin is the newly-appointed GNLA 'area commander' for entire West Garo Hills District and a close associate of the outfit's 'chief' Sohan D Shira.
| violent |
| July 30 | West Garo Hills |
ULFA explosive expert, identified as Sanjit Rabha (24), who was deputed by the ULFA to train GNLA militants in bomb making, was shot dead in an encounter with Police near Tura in the West Garo Hills District on July 30. Sanjit Rabha was with a group of GNLA cadres at Rongkugre that falls under Dobasipara Police outpost, when the SWAT commandos raided the area at around 1pm. "The deceased (ULFA) militant was identified by GNLA militants who were arrested recently in the district," said the Superintendant of Police, Tura, Mukesh Kr Singh.
| Violent |
| July 31 | Meghalaya |
Inspector General Border Security Force (BSF, Meghalaya Frontier) Sudesh Kumar said that the GNLA, which in the past few years has emerged as a major perpetrator of insurgent activities in the State, is working in close tandem with the ULFA. "GNLA's intelligence network is quite strong," the officila said adding that the BSF is also taking various measures to strengthen its intelligence.
| Statement |
| August 1 | North Garo Hills |
SFs arrested a GNLA overground worker, Alter Marak (26), at Thapa Darenchi in North Garo Hills District. The arrested militant was one of the main arms suppliers in the District.
| Non-violent |
| August 1 | North Garo Hills |
SFs arrested a GNLA militant, Bappu D. Sangma alias Ada Bura, at Resubelpara, headquarters of North Garo Hills District. The arrested militant was involved in setting ablaze a bus along with four other militants at Dingrepa village, near Gokolgre in North Garo Hills on June 5.
| Non-violent |
| August 4 | Meghalaya |
ANVC-B has criticized the refusal of GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D. Shira to ANVC-B's call to join the peace pact, alleging that he has taken a hasty decision under the "influence of his political patrons." In a statement issued, ANVC-B 'publicity secretary' Doang Shira said, "The decision to decline our appeal to join the peace pact was taken by a few people without consulting the top leaders of the organization which has triggered some difference in opinions among the (GNLA) cadres." The ANVC-B said that Sohan's patrons assured him of talks with the Government which if achieved is a good scheme but if fails, lives will be lost.
| Statement |
| August 6 | South Garo Hills/ Meghalaya |
SWAT commandos raided the house of an active sympathizer of the GNLA in Chokpot region of south Garo Hills and recovered detonators and ammunition. Police raided the house of GNLA overground worker, Atanas Marak at Dagi Adugre village, but the accused managed to give the raiding party a slip.
| Non-violent |
| August 6 | Tura / West Garo Hills |
Two militants of GNLA, who have reportedly broken ties with the outfit to operate 'independently', were arrested in Tura in West Garo Hills District. One of the main leaders of the group that had abandoned the GNLA was arrested from Chandmari market with a female companion while proceeding to board a Winger Taxi to go out of the town. He was identified as Sengsan R Marak (21).
Based on his confession, a Police team raided Janga locality and arrested another cadre of the outfit identified as Senton K Marak (21). It was revealed that while the cadres were no longer under the command of the GNLA, yet, they continued to operate under the outfit's name and were issuing demand notes and extorting money in its name.
| Non-violent |
| August 7 | East Garo Hills |
GNLA militants triggered an IED blast targeting six Police personnel, travelling in a bullet proof truck, at Nengkhra in the East Garo Hills District. Police retrieved another such device which failed to explode. Around 30 meters of fuse wire used to charge the firing mechanism was also retrieved from the site of the ambush.
The IED blast was reportedly undertaken by a special militant team of the GNLA under direct operational command of its 'chief' Sohan D Shira reportedly to avenge the death of a senior leader and 'deputy area commander' Pilon M Sangma alias Markus of its central command who was shot dead in a Police operation on July 19. The Independent faction of ULFA-I is suspected to have supplied the IED to the GNLA for operational use.
| Violent |
| August 8 | NS |
That with no end to the militancy-related violence in Garo Hills, the former Chief Minister SC Marak feels that the GNLA should be included in the peace process with the Government. According to Marak, when ANVC was created, there was chaos and havoc in Garo Hills, but after the peace talks with ANVC, there was relative peace which, however, was shattered by the emergence of GNLA.
| Statement |
| August 10 | East Garo Hills |
Suspected GNLA militants killed a village elder in East Garo Hills night after accusing him of being a "Police collaborator". Around six armed militants went to the house of the village elder, Simon Ch Marak, 50, at Koksi Nengsat village under Songsak Police Station, 35 kilometers from District headquarters Willimnagar, around 10 pm last night and called him out.
| Violent |
| August 12 | East Garo Hills |
Suspected GNLA militants shot dead a person, Hawart G Momin, at Rongcheck Akong from Rongjeng Police Station in East Garo Hills District, accusing him to be a Police 'informer'. Police recovered five empty cases of INSAS and 7.65 pistol from the spot.
| Violent |
| August 16 | South Garo Hills |
Two members of a group that deserted the GNLA to form their own armed outfit have been arrested along with a weapon and ammunition in the Rewak region of South Garo Hills District by Police. The two militants, identified as Betning Sangma and Abath Sangma, had been holed up in Rongchekgre locality of Rewak when Security Forces raided the place and arrested them
| Non-violent |
| August 17 | East Garo Hills |
Security Forces exchanged heavy fire with GNLA militants, during a raid on GNLA's hideout, near Bolmoram Adinggre in Dobu in East Garo Hills District. The firing reportedly lasted for half an hour before the militants escaped.
| Violent` |
| August 18 | NS |
The GNLA has rejected a proposal by the ANVC-B to the Government to have a 'Territorial Council' with strengthening of the GHADC, and maintains that it would continue to pursue its goal for a Garoland State.
| Statement |
| August 17 | West Garo Hills |
A GNLA 'commander', Kennedy T Sangma, escaped from Tura District prison in West Garo Hills District during an early evening prison break while as half a dozen other prisoners were rounded up by Security Forces. A group of prisoners lodged inside Ward No III of the prison made their way out of the cell after reportedly cutting through the iron bars of the cell gate which had eroded with time and weather. The escape was led by Kennedy T Sangma. He was booked under MPDA Act and had been transferred to Tura jail in May 2013.
| Violent |
| August 20 | South Garo Hills |
Suspected GNLA militants killed a villager, Jenifar N Sangma (47), in front of his family members in the Rangmai village of Ruga region in South Garo Hills District on August 20. 13 heavily armed GNLA militants under the command of one Kongsil came to the village and targeted Sangma's family on suspicion that they were Police collaborators. While the militants dragged out and shot dead Sangma, they severely assaulted his teenage son.
| Violent |
| August 20 | West Garo Hills |
A group of suspected GNLA militants whisked away a Gram Sevak (village level employee) and his companion at gunpoint when they were returning from an inspection of their circle in the Rongdupara area of West Garo Hills District. According to reports, the Gram Sevak was last heard calling up his family to inform that he was being abducted.
| Violent |
| August 22 | Shillong / East Khasi Hills |
The State Government has finally ordered a magisterial probe into Tura jailbreak case in which a hardcore GNLA 'commander' Kennedy Sangma made his escape.
| Statement |
| August 23 | East Garo Hills |
The general headquarters of the GNLA operating inside the jungles of Durama Hills in East Garo Hills District has been busted by SFs and one militant reportedly shot dead in the morning. Police sources reveal that when the attack was launched on the camp, the militants returned fire and the gun battle lasted over an hour. The destruction of the general camp is said to be a major blow for GNLA 'chief' Sohan D Shira since it housed the outfit's cadres and was also used to provide training to new recruits.
| Violent |
| August 24 | East Garo Hills |
GNLA with support from Assam-based ULFA had planned to train a new batch of over 150 cadres in their new general headquarters camp located deep inside the Durama hills of East Garo Hills bordering the southern District when Security Forces attacked the site on August 23. The busting of the camp has once again established the fact that the Garo militant outfit GNLA and the Assam-based ULFA work hand in hand assisting each other in more than one way for some time now.
| Violent |
| August 26 | West Garo Hills |
West Garo Hills Police busted a four-member group of GNLA who were deputed to Tura and Rongram to extort money from businessmen at Tetengkol area in West Garo Hills District. The four arrested cadres are Shelpa A Sangma alias Gotak (23), Batush B Marak (23), Rohan Sangma (41) and Penaji D Sangma (31).
| Non-Violent |
| August 27 | North Garo hills |
North Garo Hills Police commandos raided a GNLA hideout of the Philliport command near Mendipather leading to a heavy exchange of fire. Police team raided the militant hideout at Damringgre under Mendipather police station at around 1:15 pm and the militants who were perched atop of a hillock opened indiscriminate fire from AK rifles.
| Violent |
| September 3 | NS |
A 10 member GNLA 'execution squad' killed a GNLA 'deserter' at an unspecified location.
| Violent |
| September 3 | Kamrup (rural) |
SFs after a brief exchange of fire arrested GNLA militant, identified as 'area commander of Hahim area' Rahul Marak, from Hahim under Boko Sub-Division in Kamrup (Rural) District. SFs recovered one pistol, magazines and INR 50,000 from the militant.
| Violent |
| September 7 | Kamrup (metro) / assam |
Police recovered a consignment of second-hand arms, suspected to belong to the NSCN-IM and meant to be further supplied to the Meghalaya-based militant group GNLA, in Kamrup (metro) District. They also arrested two persons.
Based on army intelligence inputs, a Police team intercepted a truck (AS-18C-1181) near Khetri, on the outskirts of Guwahati, and seized three rifles, a shotgun and 499 rounds of live ammunition. The Police initially arrested driver Prabhu Mandal of Darbhanga in Bihar. Further, Police they conducted an operation at Mendipathar in East Garo hills District and arrested an arms supplier Salim Sangma, (24). They seized an AK-47 rifle, a .303 rifle, a .22 rifle and a shotgun from him.
| Non-violent |
| September 16 | West Garo Hills |
Suspected GNLA militants attacked a village in Garobadha region, 32 kms from Tura in West Garo Hills District, shooting dead three persons, including a youth and two women, in the night.
| Violent |
| September 17 | South Garo Hills |
A heavy exchange of fire took place between a group of GNLA militants and South Garo Hills Police in Chokpot region in South Garo Hills District after Security Forces intercepted the cadres' movement towards a village to refresh themselves.
| Violent |
| September 22 | NS |
GNLA has called dawn-to-dusk bandh on September 25 and 26 from 5 am to 4 pm in the entire Garo Hills region, alleging that the Government was not paying attention to their various demands.
| Violent |
| September 26 |
Riangdim
|
One Bostik N Sangma, who is suspected to be an overground worker of the GNLA, was arrested by the Shallang (West Khasi Hills District) Police. During interrogation he confessed that he had served GNLA demand notes to several businessmen in Shallang and Riangdim area in August and September.
| Non-violent |
| September 26-27 |
Shallang / West Khasi
|
One villager identified as Nirmal Sangma (35) was shot dead by GNLA militants at his residence at Awek Village near Shallang in West Khasi Hills District. The villager was executed by the GNLA on the allegation that he was a Police informer. The GNLA cadres fled the scene after killing the villager.
| Violent |
| September 28 |
Hajong
|
Police arrested a GNLA militant identified as David Ch Momin alias Bilchang from Purakhasia while he was serving demand notes on traders and petty businessmen. Police maintain that Bilchang confessed to the authorities of his involvement in the Garodoba attack of September 16 in which two women and a man were shot dead when the armed ultras raided a Hajong village.
| Non-violent |
| September 29 |
Purakhasia /South-west Garo
|
Police seized two wireless sets along with a Pistol following an encounter with GNLA militants at Tochapara village near Purakhasia in South-west Garo Hills District. During the encounter the militants dropped a pistol with four live rounds of ammunition in a magazine before fleeing the scene. A further search of the encounter site led to the recovery of two wireless sets which were hurriedly abandoned by the militants during their escape.
| Non-violent |
| October 7 | NS |
Surrendered cadres of a rival outfit ANVC and also retired personnel of a central paramilitary force are believed to be working for the banned GNLA outfit as part of a separate unit created to procure weapons from different states of the North East.
| Violent |
| October 8 | East Garo Hills |
Two Police vehicles with armed security personnel travelling to Williamnagar town narrowly escaped an IED blast triggered by suspected GNLA militants at Chisobibra village (East Garo Hills District) in the morning.
| Violent |
| October 20 | West Garo Hills |
Tura Police arrested five active overground members of the GNLA from Rongkhon area of West Garo Hills District for their alleged involvement in the recent extortion drive in and around Tura markets.
| Non-Violent |
| October 27-28 | NS |
GNLA militant 'chief' Sohan D Shira had threatened retaliation in a big way for the Police raid on his private residence at Chachatgre village, 3 kilometres from Williamnagar town. That operation yielded INR 334,000 Indian currency, 63,000 Bangladeshi taka along with a powerful satellite phone together with IED bombs, claymore mine boxes and more than three dozen explosive detonators.
| Violent |
| October 30 |
West Garo Hills
|
Three suspected militants who went inside a village market in Gambegre to conduct an extortion drive were inflicted with serious injuries after angry villagers attacked them. The three men whom Police claim are members of the GNLA entered Amindagre village under Gambegre block in West Garo Hills District with an aim to extort money from traders and villagers alike.
| Violent |
| November 3 |
West Garo Hills
|
SFs arrested four GNLA militants, identified as Prodinstone D. Marak, (22), Rongrak M. Sangma (21), Bhimsingh R. Marak (21) and Donald R. Marak, (24), from 12 mile area under Tura Police Station in West Garo Hills District.
| Non-violent |
| November 3 |
Goalpara
|
Seven people were killed and 10 others seriously injured when suspected GNLA militants fired on a group of people at Gendapara village under Agia Police Station in Goalpara District. The killed civilians were identified as Bholanath Rabha, Amarendra Rabha, Jayanta Rabha, Puran Rabha, Kalpanath Rabha and Lulu Rabha, who died on the spot. Another person reportedly succumbed to injuries on November 4.
| Violent |
| November 4 | Dhubri / Assam |
A GNLA militant, identified as Sangthil Areng (23), was arrested with the help of the people of Puthimari, under Mancachar Police Station in Dhubri District.
| Violent |
| November 5 | South Garo Hills / Meghalaya |
Garo Hills Police suffered one of its biggest casualties in its fight against militancy with five State security personnel killed in an ambush laid by a heavily armed group of GNLA militants in remote South Garo Hills Districts in the morning of October 5. Armed GNLA militants believed to number over two dozen ambushed a Police gypsy with five occupants that was proceeding from Baghmara to Tura in West Garo Hills.
| Violent |
| November 5 | Goalpara / Assam |
A team of four State Ministers, that has been assigned the job of looking after the RHAC matters, visited Goalpara and the RHAC areas, even as the AATS called for Army operations against the militant outfit GNLA and stern action against all the militant groups. The team of Ministers included Himanta Biswa Sarma, Nilamani Sen Deka, Rajiv Lochan Pegu and Rockybul Hussain. AATS 'general secretary' Aditya Khakhlary also alleged involvement of the ISI of Pakistan in the RHAC violence, claiming that at its instance the GNLA has been trying to unleash a reign of terror in the Autonomous Council areas.
| Non-violent |
| November 6 | East Garo hills |
Suspected GNLA militants abducted a coal merchant, identified as one Gopal Sharma from Rongjeng area of East Garo Hill. Police suspect that the trader might have been abducted for ransom.
| Violent |
| November 7 | Goalpara / Assam |
The joint operation launched by Assam and Meghalaya Police, along with the CRPF and the Army, against two Garo militant outfits, GNLA and the UALA, are also targeting the ULFA-I.
| Non-violent |
| November 7 | Shillong / East Khasi hills |
State Police have constituted an internal inquiry into the killing of five Policemen by GNLA militants in South Garo Hills on November 5. Informing this, DGP PJP Hananman said the inquiry would be conducted by Heimonlang Nongpluh, Inspector-General of Police (Western Range).
| Statement |
| November 7 | NS |
The ANVC-B, has made serious allegations about the presence of a 'mole' in the State Police who informed the GNLA militants about the movement of the five police personnel, who were killed in the ambush. In a statement, ANVC-B alleged that that the movement of Police escorts was specifically informed to the GNLA. The ANVC-B said that the attack has given a glimpse of accessibility of GNLA into Police activities, which is not going to prove safe in the long run.
| Statement |
| November 8 | South West Garo Hills |
Suspected ANVC-B militants, who entered from the porous Bangladesh border, shot dead two BSF constables and snatched away their INSAS rifles at around 10.20 am on November 8 near Kaithakona outpost in South West Garo Hills District. The slain BSF constables have been identified as Sushish Biswas and Papu Kumar Yadav. However, the ANVC-B was quick to react denying its role in the killing of BSF personnel while asserting that GNLA militants were involved in the crime. According to the ANVC-B, the GNLA is not alone but is being backed by foreign elements including ULFA.
Meghalaya Police is said to have had intelligence reports about a possible attack by GNLA militants just days before the carnage in which five policemen were killed, but drew a blank when it came to the site that was going to be targeted.
| Violent |
| November 8 | South West Garo Hills |
Suspected ANVC-B militants, who entered from the porous Bangladesh border, shot dead two BSF constables and snatched away their INSAS rifles at around 10.20 am on November 8 near Kaithakona outpost in South West Garo Hills District. The slain BSF constables have been identified as Sushish Biswas and Papu Kumar Yadav. However, the ANVC-B was quick to react denying its role in the killing of BSF personnel while asserting that GNLA militants were involved in the crime. According to the ANVC-B, the GNLA is not alone but is being backed by foreign elements including ULFA.
Meghalaya Police is said to have had intelligence reports about a possible attack by GNLA militants just days before the carnage in which five policemen were killed, but drew a blank when it came to the site that was going to be targeted.
| Violent |
| November 10 | NS |
ANVC-B has claimed that the GNLA perpetrated the violent act in retaliation to the seizure of the latter's weapons by the BSF recently. According to ANVC-B, the GNLA cadres who attacked the BSF men on November 8 had a plan to drop the ULFA cadres to receive the arms consignment which was seized by the BSF a day before.
| Statement |
| November 11 | NS |
Easy access to sophisticated firearms by Garo militants in Meghalaya has become a major cause for concern for the State Government. Though the GNLA militant group was once believed to have sophisticated arms only, splinter groups in the West Garo hills are also getting these firearms easily nowadays. According to chief minister Mukul Sangma, the porous border has helped these militants groups procure weapons freely.
Security sources said that the Garo militants, including some small and splinter groups in Meghalaya, are currently armed with a large number of AK-47s, AK-74s, AK-81s, rocket launchers, Chinese grenades, Heckler and Koch rifles, Glock guns and US-made sophisticated pistols. The official added that the ULFA-I faction is also helping small groups like the UALA by providing them with firearms.
| Violent |
| November 11 | East Garo Hills | The KSU, Jaintia Hills District Unit has condemned the brutal killing of five Police personnel by the GNLA at South Garo Hills on November 5. | Violent |
| November11 | West Garo Hills |
Suspected militants, numbering 15, barged into a village market near Tikrikilla in West Garo Hills District and abducted three non-tribal traders at gunpoint. The abducted traders are Dulal Roy (50), Manik Roy (40) and Abdullah Ali (40). Police suspect involvement of GNLA, which is known to operate in that area and has been behind several kidnappings in the past. The area is also a familiar route used by militants to cross from Garo Hills to neighbouring Assam.
| Violent |
| November 12 | South West Khasi Hills |
Coal traders in Borsora and Nongjri areas in South West Khasi Hills District are concerned over the activities of militants from Garo Hills and Assam which are demanding money ranging from INR 500,000 to INR two million. According to a coal trader who received a demand note of INR 1 million from the GNLA, it is not only the GNLA that is working together with the ULFA and are demanding money from the traders in the area but the ANVC-B is also operating and competing with the said militants outfits. In a letter sent by the GNLA to the trader, the militants warned him to 'cooperate without failure' and warned that any 'thoughtless act' (by the trader) would lead to serious consequences as 'actions' will be taken according to their (GNLA) law.
| Violent |
| November 12 | Meghalaya |
Leadership crisis in the Meghalaya Police has resulted in the mushrooming of several armed outfits on a killing and extortion spree in Garo Hills. Police at the field level say that the inconsistency of the operations against militants has given groups like GNLA a fillip to go on the rampage.
| Statement |
| November 13 | South Garo Hills |
BSF rescued a coal exporter, Janking Marak in the night of November 13 from the clutches of GNLA rebels near the India-Bangladesh border under Gausapara border outpost in South Garo Hills District. GNLA rebels abducted Marak from his residence in South Garo Hills region on November 10. Meanwhile, Police are still clueless about the whereabouts of another coal exporter, Gopal Sharma, and three traders abducted by suspected GNLA rebels.
| Non-violent |
| November 14 | Goalpara/ Assam |
SFs arrested two GNLA linkmen, identified as Salmendrar Marak and Eden Marak, at Thanti hill area near Kachumari village in Goalpara District.
| Non-violent |
| November 14 | Goalpara / Assam |
Suspected GNLA militants abducted, Dilip Dutta Medhi (45), from Choto Matia area under Dudhnoi Police Station in Goalpara District. Medhi is an officer of the Sericulture department of Meghalaya, posted at Resubelpara in North Garo Hills District.
| Violent |
| November 19 | West Garo hills |
Two GNLA militants deputed to Tura in West Garo Hills to extort money and abduct an influential businessman have been arrested. The arrested militants have been identified as Goera D Sangma (27) and Sengsal R Marak (22).
| Non-violent |
| November 19 | South west Garo Hills |
Troopers of the BSF along with Meghalaya Police team arrested GNLA militants, Prethy M Sangma and Dina M Sangma from Kimdegre area under South West Garo Hills.
| Non-violent |
| November 20 | West Garo hills |
State Police commandos shot dead the 'area commander' of GNLA for Ampati region, identified as Indian A Sangma in an encounter near Garobadha in West Garo Hills District while another Police team in remote South Garo Hills district was engaged in a gun battle with cadres of the same outfit in the afternoon.
| Violent |
| November 21 | Near West Garo hills/ Meghalaya |
An Assam Government official, abducted by a gang of criminals, has managed to escape from his captors. Rashidul Haque, the block development officer of Fakirganj Block in Assam's Dhubri District, was abducted for ransom, Goalpara District Police chief Nitul Gogoi said. The captors allegedly kept Haque at Khamari village along the Assam-Meghalaya border near Tikrikilla in the West Garo Hills. Gogoi said three abductors, allegedly hired by GNLA rebel outfit to abduct Haque, have been arrested.
| Non-violent |
| November 23 | East Garo hills / Meghalaya |
Williamnagar Police raided Nengmandalgre village in East Garo Hills District across the river Simsang, three kms from District headquarters, and arrested an over ground worker of the GNLA. Police picked up Hernit Marak alias Solomon from the village and recovered incriminating documents and letter pads of GNLA from his possession.
| Non-violent |
| November 24 | NS |
Toughening its stand against rampant timber smuggling in Garo Hills, the GNLA has issued the 'last warning' to those involved including village Nokmas (village heads), forest department officials and a section of the GSU leadership to halt their activity. The militant group has specifically termed the Bajengdoba region of North Garo Hills as the epicenter of the smuggling racket to the neighbouring State (Assam) and warned of 'serious' consequences against those involved. Forest produce of Garo Hills are regularly smuggled into neighbouring Assam.
| Violent |
| November 24 | Williamnagar |
The 'general secretary' of GNLA, Dalbin N Marak (37), also a Government school teacher, whose identity had remained a secret has been finally revealed with his arrest in Williamnagar in the afternoon of November 24. The 'general secretary' whose identity was not even known to other cadres and leaders of the group apart from the inner circle of the GNLA 'chief' has revealed to Police that it 'chief' Sohan D. Shira called him up over phone and appointed him the 'general secretary'.
| Non-violent |
| November 27 | East Garo Hills |
The man who allegedly shipped in the explosives for use on an ambush against SFs in Chisobibra village, on the outskirts of Williamnagar town in East Garo Hills District, in the first week of October has been arrested by Police from the heart of the District headquarters (Williamnagar) on November 27. Police caught the over ground worker of the GNLA, identified as Komar T Sangma (24) in the evening. He had been in the wanted list of SFs for his alleged involvement in the attack on two passing Police vehicles which narrowly escaped an IED explosion next to a wooden bridge in broad daylight.
| Non-violent |
| November 27 | West Garo hills |
BSF personnel, arrested an over-ground worker of GNLA, identified as Toren Sangma from his residence at Tikrikila in West Garo Hills District. The GNLA worker confessed that he was working for the banned outfit and collected INR 220,000 from Tikrikilla market for the outfit.
| Non-violent |
| December 1 | Ri Bhoi |
Police arrested five persons including a former Nagaland Police official, Robert Sangma, who was helping GNLA in procuring arms and ammunition, from Ri Bhoi District.
| Non-violent |
| December 1 | Ri Bhoi |
Five arms smugglers including a former Nagaland Police official, who were arrested in Ri Bhoi District for assisting the GNLA, have been remanded in 10-day Police custody. Informing this on December 2, CVS Reddy, Superintendant of Police, Ri Bhoi District, said Police were still investigating the matter.
| Non-violent |
| December 3 | Shillong/ East Khasi Hills |
The Political Affairs Department has shelved an important magisterial inquiry into the allegation of militant outfit UALA that Police had armed ANVC-B with weapons seized from other militant groups, to take on GNLA. The allegation of UALA, the breakaway group of ANVC-B, made in May this year was that with the blessings of the Police and the Government, the then Circle Inspector of Williamnagar, TC Chacko, had handed over two AK-56 and one AK-47 rifles to ANVC-B leader Rimpu Marak when he was part of the parent group ANVC and the UALA chief Singbirth Marak alias Norrok X Momin was witness to it.
| Statement |
| December 5 | East Garo hills |
Two villagers have been executed in Samanda village (East Garo Hills District) by GNLA. Suspected GNLA raided Samanda Megapgre village, 18 kms from Williamnagar town and took away at gunpoint Dilseng N Sangma (28) and Liping D Sangma (27). Their bullet riddled bodies were recovered in the morning of December 7 from Patrang Samanda reserve forest by villagers and Police. The GNLA has branded the victims as timber smugglers.
| Violent |
| December 6 | West Garo hills |
GNLA militants shot dead a rice mill owner, Onarson A Sangma (50), at Oragitok village of West Garo Hills District close to the foothills of Nokrek National Park on December 6
| Violent |
| December 6 | West Garo Hills |
GNLA militants are reported to have entered Sasatgre/Chandigre village on the foothills of the Nokrek national park in West Garo Hills District and abducted a village elder, identified as Balnat Marak on December 6. His whereabouts remain unknown.
| Violent |
| December 6 | South Garo Hills |
GNLA-F, the Reading Sangma's group. abducted a coal businessman, Akhtar Ali, who is married to a Garo lady, from Baghmara in South Garo Hills District.
| Violent |
| December 7 | NA |
The GNLA has suffered a major jolt when a section of its cadres under the leadership with Reading T Sangma, the former 'finance secretary' of the outfit, deserted camps and formed a new militant outfit GNLA-F. Confirming this, Police sources, on December 7, said Reading has made South Garo Hills as his main area of operation. It is learnt that Reading was unhappy with the manner he was treated by 'commander-in-chief' of the outfit Sohan D Shira who demoted him from the post of 'finance secretary' to 'grievance cell' in charge.
| Violent |
| December 9 | South Garo Hills |
Suspected GNLA militants, who allegedly crossed over from neighbouring Bangladesh with RDX, managed to give Meghalaya Police the slip in a late night encounter on December 9 in the South Garo Hills District.
| Violent |
| December 10 | East Garo Hills |
The general headquarters of the GNLA in Durama Hills near Adugre village located in the East Garo Hills was busted in the afternoon of December 10. Details of the operation were awaited.
| Non-violent |
| December 11 | West Garo Hills |
Attack by the GNLA militant group was targeted at Tisha Auto Agency petrol station in Chasingre on the outskirts of Tura. Four militants brandishing AK rifles walked up to the gas station rounded up the employees and opened fire injuring pump operators, Nobu Hajong and Bishu Roy.
| Violent |
| December 11 | West Garo hills |
GNLA militants fled towards the foothills of Tura peak and on their way attacked a relay station of the Meghalaya Police Radio Organization located at Darichekgre. While the two police radio operators managed to escape, the militants exploded two bombs inside the relay station destroying the equipment.
| Violent |
| December 11 | South Garo Hills |
A group of GNLA militants fired upon two coal trucks transporting Police SWAT commandos for operation in the Nangalbibra region of South Garo Hills District. In the attack a Police commando sustained bullet injuries on his leg.
| Violent |
| December 11 | Shillong / East Khasi hills |
Security Forces intensified combing operations against GNLA rebels in western Meghalaya after they overran the general headquarters of the outfit. "The operation is in full swing, and has yielded good results and that's why they (GNLA) are launching these retaliatory attacks. However, we cannot divulge details at this stage," Meghalaya Police Chief, P.J.P. Hanaman said.
| Statement |
| December 11 | East Garo hills |
East Garo Hills Police recovered several items including a high powered automatic rifle from the GNLA general headquarters that was busted by Security Forces. Police recovered a powerful MA-3 (MK II), a Chinese hand grenade, two pistol magazines, 15 rounds of 7.65mm live ammo, four rounds of 5.56 live ammo, 14 empty rounds of AK ammunition, 10 numbers of gelatine explosive sticks, GNLA identity cards and other documents.
| Non-violent |
| December 11 | Shillong / East Khasi hills |
17 months after the arrest of GNLA 'chairman' Champion R Sangma, the court proceedings against the militant chief is far from over. Public Prosecutor IC Jha on December 11, admitted that the proceedings are progressing at a fairly slow pace, while informing that only nine witnesses out of the 21 listed, have been examined and cross examined in the court so far.
| Statement |
| December 12 | NS |
A senior cadre of the GNLA, who was injured in an encounter with police in East Garo Hills district earlier in April this year, is suspected to be the 'mastermind' of the Chasingre and Darichekgre attacks that took place on December 11. Police sources claim that the attacks were planned and carried out by GNLA 'commande'r identified as Jarek who has been roped in by 'action command chief' Kennedy T Sangmaalias Hebil to create mayhem in West Garo Hills.
| Statement |
| December 12 | NS |
Garo militants are frequently using Bangladesh as a safe option for medical treatment and thereby avoiding getting caught in Government run hospitals inside India. Recent seizure of materials from the GNLA militants and camps has revealed the regularity of militants crossing over to the neighboring country with injuries particularly bullet wounds for surgery. Hospital documents originating from Bangladesh have been found in possession of GNLA militants clearly indicating the frequency of medical services being provided across the border.
| Statement |
| December 14 |
South Garo Hills
|
Two civilians identified as Semion M Marak and Sengwal D Sangma, whom the GNLA accused of using their name to make a fortune, have been executed by armed cadres in Gasuapara in South Garo Hills District. The killings reportedly took place on December 13 night but their bodies were discovered only on December 14.
| Violent |
| December 16 |
Tura / West Garo Hills
|
Arrested 'Chairman' of GNLA, Champion R Sangma, has obtained bail in the eighth case registered against him from the court of the First Class Magistrate in Tura, D Marbaniang, which issued a release order. With this, the GNLA chairman has now obtained bail in as many as eight cases from the courts. He is now awaiting the courts' decision in two more cases to 'win his freedom'. The GNLA 'chairman' was allegedly pushed back from Bangladesh after his arrest in the neighbouring country in July 2012.
| Statement |
| December 17 |
South Garo Hills
|
Police have launched a massive hunt to nab the assailants of two persons who were gunned down by suspected GNLA at Gasuapara in South Garo Hills on the evening. The victims were identified as Semion M Marak of Rongsigre and Sengwal D Sangma of Rongbokgre in the South Garo Hills. South Garo Hills Superintendent of Police (SP) Davis Nestell Marak said, "The killing was done in cold blood and it shows the desperation of the GNLA".
| Non-violent |
| December 23 | East Garo Hills | Heavily armed GNLA militants attacked two members of newly-formed ATF killing one and leaving the other severely injured with a bullet wound in two separate incidents in East Garo Hills District. An eight-member group of the GNLA's 'Special Action Group' led by 'area commander' Jimmy went to the house of the village Nokma (village headman) Rakan M Sangma and dragged out his son Lakson N Marak and a friend called Onil Marak of Rongjeng who had come to spend Christmas in the village. Both the victims were accused of being active members of the ATF. The Nokma's son was executed in the village itself and his friend Onil was taken away by the GNLA cadres. | Violent |
| December 24 | North Garo hills | GNLA militants killed a former GNLA rebel, Aldrin Marak, at the village of Raja Apal in North Garo Hills District. GNLA carried out the strike in retaliation for breaking the 'militant code' by defecting the organization added the report. | Violent |
| December 27 | North Garo Hills | GNLA killed a civilian identified as, Alwin Sangma, in North Garo Hills District. | Violent |
Source:Compiled from news reports and are provisional.
Incidents and Statements involving Garo National Liberation Army:2014
Date
|
Place
|
Incident
|
Nature of incident
|
| January 4 |
West Garo hills
|
SFs arrested a GNLA cadre and four OWG of the militant outfit from Tura in West Garo Hills. The GNLA cadre identified as Johny A Marak alias Goera (21) was arrested while he was trying to extort money from businessmen.
| Non-violent |
| January 6 | East Garo hills |
GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira has ordered the closure of all dry fish markets in Williamnagar town in East Garo Hills District for non-payment of the amount demanded from them. Sources have informed that the GNLA is demanding INR 300,000 from each of the dry fish sellers which they are unable to pay. Other business persons too have received extortion notes but have refrained from giving any information to the police for fear of retribution from GNLA. However police are in the know since most dry fish shops have decided to down their shutters.
| Violent |
| January 6 | East Garo Hills |
The ATF, a newly formed militant outfit from Garo Hills, has threatened of retaliatory actions against a GNLA for alleged unprovoked killing of some of its cadres in Songsak, Napak A'pal village in East Garo Hills District.
| Statement |
| January 13 |
Shillong / East Khasi hills
|
The Commissioner and Secretary in-charge Home (Police) Jopthiaw Lyngdoh said that the breakaway faction of ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu R Marak had signed the agreed text of settlement [signed on January 5,2013] as a member of the ANVC.To a question whether they will adopt the same yardstick in case the GNLA wants to be part of the text of settlement especially when the outfit 'commander in chief' Sohan D Shira was a signatory to the tripartite agreement, Lyngdoh said the inclusion of GNLA in the agreement which had already been signed, is now out of question.
| Statement |
| January14 |
Shillong / East Khasi Hills
|
CM, Mukul Sangma said that the GNLA can also be part of the agreed text settlement if they agree to come under the ambit of their parent organisation, the ANVC.
| Statement |
| January 21 | South Garo hills |
Police commandos were bombarded by RPG explosions when they raided a hideout of the GNLA in remote Nanalbibra region of South Garo Hills District. There were, however, no casualties during the raid. The encounter took place after police teams launched a search operation to nab a large group of GNLA militants who had been collecting extortion money from coal trucks and quarries in Gare Nawak area of Nangalbibra region in South Garo Hills District.
| Violent |
| January 21 | NS |
The ANVC-B claimed to have inputs and evidence of ANVC's contacts with GNLA, UALA and other terrorist organisations including the Pakistan spy agency the ISI.
| Statement |
| January 21 | South Garo Hills |
South Garo Hills Police are investigating the sequence of events that unfolded on January 17 night in which militants fired and damaged an education officer's car and also reportedly targeted the South Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Chinmoy P Gotmare's official vehicle. Preliminary investigation has indicated involvement of the GNLA-F led by former 'finance secretary' Redding T Sangma.
| Statement |
| January 21 | West Garo Hills |
SFs arrested a girl, Rettilish R Marak (19), for allegedly serving demand notes and collecting extortion money on behalf of Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) in Tura in West Garo Hills District.
| Non-violent |
| January 24 | West Garo Hills |
30 odd GNLA militants allegedly threw a challenge to the Police, asking them to come to an area in Shallang in West Khasi Hills District. Police authorities received the news, but fearing that the GNLA cadres might have planted IED in the area, did not venture out. However, when evening came, Police forces began engaging in combing operations in the area to look for the GNLA cadres.
| Violent |
| January 27 | Shillong / East Khasi Hills |
The State Government has created a channel to bring GNLA to the negotiating table. While Governor KK Paul announced during his Republic Day (January 26) speech that the Government has offered the path of dialogue to GNLA, the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, went further ahead saying that an exercise is on to bring the outfit for talks.
| Statement |
| January 27 | Shillong / East Khasi Hills |
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said lack of response time rendered the Police less effective in tackling the challenge of suspected GNLA militants at Shallang in West Khasi Hills District on January 24. The militants engaged in rampant looting of coal laden trucks in West Khasi Hills and even challenged the Police to engage in a fight with them.
| Statement |
| January29 | West Khasi Hills |
SFs arrested five militants of the GNLA, Lasting G Momin, Arnesh G Momin, Bosco Momin, Fedrick Rongrin and Jaro S Sangma at Dorangre village in West Khasi Hills District.
| Non-violent |
| January 30 | South Garo Hills |
The brother of a Meghalaya legislator was abducted by suspected GNLA militants in South Garo Hills District, bordering Bangladesh, Police said. "Naga M Sangma, 39, the younger brother of Independent legislator Samuel M Sangma, was abducted by four suspected GNLA rebels about 7.30pm last (January 30) night from his house at Gasuapara area," Abraham Sangma, the District Police official of South Garo Hills said.
| Violent |
| February 5 | South Garo Hills |
Naga Sangma, the younger brother of the MLA Samuel Sangma of Baghmara constituency, who was abducted by suspected GNLA militants from his home in Gasuapara, on January 30, was released unharmed in South Garo Hills District. The family has, however, denied paying any ransom to the abductors. A sum of INR 2 million was reportedly demanded by the GNLA for his release.
| Non-violent |
| February 6 | South Garo Hills |
South Garo Hills Police have uncovered a close nexus between the ANVC-B outfit and the GNLA-F that is preparing to float a new organization called the UPRA. Police uncovered the close links between the GNLA-F led by Reding T Sangma and the ANVC-B after a camp of the latter was busted near Mindikgre (South Garo Hills District) in the morning of February 7.
| Non-violent |
| February 7 | Goalpara/ Assam |
SFs arrested four suspected GNLA militants, identified as Sohidul Islam (28), Babul Hussain (27), Ismail Hussain (25) and Shahjahan Ali (31), from Karbala area in Goalpara town (Goalpara District).
| Non-Violent |
| February 8 | Goalpara/ Assam |
SFs killed two militants belonging to the GNLA at Barjhara area along the Assam-Meghalaya border under Lakhipur Police Station in Goalpara District. SFs also recovered one .9mm pistol, one 7.65mm pistol, one satellite phone, one watch phone, live bullets, blank cartridges and two mobile phones from them.
| Violent |
| February 9 | South Garo hills |
SFs, in an encounter, killed an over ground worker of GNLA, identified as Kraibing Sangma at Mitapgre village in Chokpot region of South Garo Hills District.
| Violent` |
| February 11 | South Garo Hills |
Ashish M Sangma, the Project Director of the District Rural Development Agency in South Garo Hills escaped unhurt when suspected GNLA-F fired at his vehicle at Rongdotchi area in South Garo Hills District, Police said. No one was injured in the attack.
| Violent |
| February 12 | NS |
A group of senior GNLA leaders led by former 'finance secretary' Reding T Sangma have broken away from the outfit's military 'chief' Sohan D Shira and formed their own organization christening it ASAK. The 'commander-in-chief' (C-in-C) of the new outfit, Reding T Sangma, gave in detail the reasons for parting ways with Sohan D Shira. He blamed Sohan for the fratricidal killings within the GNLA group and for targeting other 'revolutionary' outfits like the ANVC-B and the Norrok X Momin led UALA making them sworn enemies.The new outfit ASAK, which literally means the vanguards of Garoland has named its headquarters as Grikram.
| Violent |
| February 16 | Meghalaya |
The 'eastern area commander' of GNLA, Ajan Momin alias Jimmy accused its former 'finance secretary' Reding T Sangma, who went on to form a new outfit called ASAK, of fund misuse. "He invested INR 70, 00,000 for coal trade and rubber plantations. All that money was taken from the organisation," claimed the GNLA 'eastern area commander'
| Statement |
| February 17 | NS |
Welcoming Meghalaya Governor K. K. Paul's offer of peace talks, GNLA 'commander in chief' Sohan D Shira maintained that it can happen only if their 'chairman' Champion R Sangma is released from prison and leads the group in the deliberations. Champion R Sangma is currently lodged in Shillong jail for subversive activities. He has obtained bail in several cases but needs to secure bail in two more cases to walk out free.
Referring to ASAK, Sohan D Shira, said, "We have reliable source that the floating of new outfit ASAK was masterminded by surrendered GNLA Mingran T Sangma". Mingran was previously the 'chief training instructor' of GNLA, but had deserted the group with over a dozen cadres and substantial number of weapons.
| Statement |
| February 17 | NS | The 'deputy commander-in-chief' of ASAK, Chue Dilsrang, refuting the allegations made against outfit's 'commander-in-chief', Reding T Sangma by GNLA of fund misuse in a statement issued on February 17, claimed that during his stint as the 'finance secretary' of the GNLA, Reding was prevented from executing his duties as per his designation and had never extorted money for his own benefits. | Statement |
| February 18 | NS |
ASAK 'commander-in-chief' Reding T Sangma accused GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira of collecting 'tax' from highway construction firm. ASAK leader claimed that Sohan D Shira had taken a sum of INR 100 million from BSC C&C Joint Venture (JV) which has bagged the tender to built and widen the Tura to Shillong road via Jengjal, Songsak, Nongshram, Shallang, Nongstoin route that has been named National Highway 44 E.
Reding T Sangma also accused, "Sohan demanded and took INR 1 billion from A'king Nokma who had received compensation from government for parting with their land for the Balpakram National Park. He bought a plot of land in Nongrim Hills locality of Shillong and has also purchased an apartment in Guwahati."
| Statement |
| February 18 | West Garo Hills |
Two militants of the Breakaway faction of the ANVC-B, identified as Belbong and Raga, were killed in West Garo Hills, a Police official said. "Two ANVC-B cadres were gunned down by GNLA (Garo National Liberation Army) rebels at Sankinigre area this morning allegedly for extorting money in the name of the GNLA," said West Garo Hills District SP Mukesh Kumar Singh.
| Violent |
| February 18 | NS |
ANVC-B expressed doubt over the role of APVC, the newly formed vigilante group, and source of the footage that was leaked to media where a GNLA cadre executed an unidentified victim mercilessly. The ANVC-B also added that if the GNLA is willing to join the peace talks, Government must process necessary steps at the earliest to bring them on board in the best interest of Garo hills.
| Statement |
| February 18 | NS |
Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that the government will examine the demand of the GNLA to release its jailed chairman for peace talks. "We need to evaluate everything in hand before moving forward and examine their (GNLA) demand," Sangma told journalists.
| Statement |
| February 19 | NS |
The Eastern 'area commander' of GNLA, Jimmy Ch Momin, accused the breakaway faction, ASAK chief, Reding T Sangma, of deserting the ANVC and joining the GNLA merely for monetary gains as well as in fear of action being taken against him by the ANVC leadership for his misdeeds,. He also alleged that Reding had the history of drifting from one militant group to the other adding that the current militant group, ASAK was the third that he had switched allegiance to.
| Statement |
| February 20 | Shillong |
James R. Lyngwa, the Rangbah Shnong of Nongrim Hills (East Khasi Hills) has said that it has verified the news report on GNLA leader Sohan D Shira possessing a plot of land at Nongrim Hills and found that he didn't own the same,
| Statement |
| February 21 |
Goalpara / Assam
|
SFs killed three suspected GNLA militants at Kachumari under Krishnai Police Station, in Goalpara District. Three .9 mm pistols with 15 rounds of live ammunition and explosive materials weighing around one kilogram were reportedly recovered from the unidentified slain ultras.
| Violent |
| February 24 | Dainadubi |
A GNLA cadre, identified as Harison M Sangma alias Ranja, alias Rabal surrendered to Dainadubi Police.
| Non-violent |
| February 24 | NS |
The GNLA said that the outfit is coming for talks not due to the fear of operations against its cadres by the SFs. "We did not beg for peace talks. We were invited by Governor KK Paul. After several meetings held among the leaders, well wishers, area commanders and cadres, GNLA resolved to accept the invitation of the Governor," 'political affairs secretary' of GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang Marak, said in a statement.
| Statement |
| February 25 | East Garo Hills |
A GNLA 'deputy chief', identified as Lethri T Sangma alias Harara was arrested by Mendipathar Police from Salpara, East Garo Hills District.
| Non-violent |
| February 26 | East Garo Hills |
A woman who challenged a GNLA militant of extortion at Tura in West Garo Hills District, received a call from the 'deputy commander' of GNLA on the same day threatening to eliminate her and her family.
| Violent |
| February 27 | NS |
The newly-floated militant outfit in Garo Hills ASAK opposed peace talks between the GNLA and Government. Dura Marak, 'general secretary' of the outfit accused GNLA leader Sohan Shira of making money in the name of Garo people even as he said that Shira was not fit to represent Garo people.
| Statement |
| February 27 | West Garo Hills |
Tura Municipal Board CEO, Z.J Sangma, lodged a complaint at Tura Police Station (West Garo Hills District) stating that on February 26, one employee of the Board received a telephone call, in which the caller claimed himself to be a GNLA 'Commander' and demanded INR 5,000 and later reduced the amount to INR 3,000 with instruction to pay the money at Tura Municipal Board office at about 12 noon on the same day.
| Violent |
| February 28 | NS |
GNLA threatened to eliminate people who are extorting money in its name. "I have ordered all our area commanders to look for those persons who are misusing our name and execute them at once," Sohan D Shira, the 'commander-in- chief' of the GNLA said. "We have been getting lots of information about some people misusing our organisation's name and we will not spare them." he added. Shira has taken exception to the reports that a GNLA cadre has tried to extort money from an employee of Tura Municipal Office.
| Violent |
| March 1 | NS |
GNLA reacting to the ASAK 'general secretary' Dura Marak's claims that GNLA 'commander-in-chief', Sohan D Shira could be hunted down within a week if the Police conduct a tight operation in the Durama Hills, said that it had enough arms and fire power to meet any kind of challenges and situations.
| Statement |
| March 2 | NS |
The GNLA has decided to 'serve' an ultimatum to the Government to make clear the latter's stand on holding talks with the outfit. In a statement issued to the media, GNLA's 'political affairs secretary' Bikdot Nikjang Marak said that in a recent meeting the GNLA resolved to 'serve' ultimatum to the Government to make clear its plans on holding talks with the outfit. It was on January 26 that the Governor, in his Republic Day speech, had appealed to the GNLA to come to the negotiating table. Following this, the GNLA had expressed its desire to hold talks with the Government.
| Statement |
| March 3 | NS |
GNLA 'political secretary' Bikdot Nikjang Marak claimed that the formation has recently refused the offer of INR 50 million from a road construction company so that development work in the area is not affected.
| Statement |
| March 4 | Shillong/ Meghalaya |
The State government is working on the modalities of peace talks with the GNLA, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said on March 4.
| Statement |
| March 4 | West Garo Hills |
GHSMC held a meeting recently and resolved to organize a public rally at Selsela in April, 2014 to intensify the demand for Garoland Statehood in a democratic way. The demand for Statehood is in line of Linguistic Act 1956 and State re-organisation Act 1956, the General Secretary of GHSMC Augustine Marak said. "On behalf of the people of Garoland we appeal our beloved brothers of GNLA, ANVC-B, UALA, LAEF, ASAK, ATF, Matchadu Matchabet, ANLCA, ANCA and other splinter groups to turn to the main stream", Marak said.
| Statement |
| March 5 | Goalpara/ Assam |
SFs killed a GNLA militant identified as Niksrang Sangma alias Rondik Sangma at Gosaigadhowa in Goalpara District. SFs also arrested a GNLA militant identified as Binat Sangma during the operation.
| Violent |
| March 7 | NS |
The GNLA approved the name of the 10 person panel to hold talks with the Government. Rev. The names approved include Fr Januarius Sangma, Rev. Bro. Einstein Marak, former minister Jova Marak, Mariam D. Shira, Heneritha Marak, activist Jaynie Ningring Sangma, Babyana Sangma and Marilyne D. Shira, NPP leader Roger Benny A. Sangma and advocate Sujit Dey.
| Statement |
| March 8 | NS | Addressing the opening day of the Budget session of the Meghalaya Assembly, Governor K.K. Paul expressed concern about the activities of GNLA in the Garo Hills. According to the Governor, the activities of HNLC had seen a decline during the past one year because of the constant pressure mounted by the State Police. | Statement |
| March 10 | North Garo Hills / Meghalaya | GSU leader, identified as Dreambirth has reportedly been abducted by suspected GNLA militants over differences in coal auction in East Garo Hills District. Dreambirth, GSU leader from Mendal in North Garo Hills, was on a visit to his family home in Dobetkolgre locality of Williamnagar (East Garo Hills) on March 10 when he was reportedly abducted by a group of unidentified men. He remains untraceable | Violent |
| March 10 | East Garo Hills | East Garo Hills District Police intercepted a sports utility vehicle carrying arms consignment that had been dispatched from Karbi Anglong (Assam) for the GNLA in Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District in the evening of March 10. Police found three AK rifles with five magazine containers and 124 rounds of live ammunition. | Non-violent |
| March 10 | Shillong/ East Khasi Hills | Meghalaya Home Minister Roshan Warjri told the State assembly on March 10 that the Centre needs to be consulted before initiating peace talks with GNLA, since GNLA was a banned organization under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967. | Statement |
| March 10 | Kamrup (metro) | Police arrested a member of disbanded UPDS, Sagar Chism, from Guwahati (Kamrup metro District) and recovered INR 122,900 in cash from his possession which was sent by GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D. Shira as advance payment for the arms and ammunition. Sagam's whereabouts was revealed by two of his arms smuggler associates who were arrested in Williamnagar in Meghalaya with a cache of arms and ammunition meant for GNLA. | Non-violent |
| March 12 | NS | The GNLA has denied having any hand in the abduction of a GSU leader, Dreambirth G Momin, who was abducted from Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District. | Statement |
| March 18 | NS | With the Meghalaya Government making it clear that it was not keen on a division of the State, the move of the GNLA to hold talks with the State Government has hit a roadblock since, the creation of a separate Garo State is the key demand of the militant outfit. | Statement |
| March 19 | NS | The GNLA released the names of 12 people to act as mediators for talks with the Government and urged upon Meghalaya Governor K K Paul to approve their names. GNLA 'commander-in-chief' Sohan D Shira announced the names of the 12 mediators through a 'notification' from the outfit's 'military affairs' committee. | Statement |
| March 21 | East Garo Hills | GNLA shot dead Servison R Sangma, the cousin of its own 'chairman' Champion Sangma for deserting the outfit even as it claimed that the killing was 'accidental'. A 12-member group of armed GNLA militants led by its 'action commander' Ajan Ch Marak alias Jimmy Momin came down to Asiragre village, three kilometres from Williamnagar (East Garo Hills District), and targeted the home of Servison. | violent |
| March 22 | West Khasi Hills | Suspected GNLA militants attacked a SWAT team at Ambari near Shallang in West Khasi Hills District in the morning. GNLA militants numbering around 12 to 14 carrying heavy arms came to Songsak toll gate for extorting money to the trucks. Sallang Police after getting the information about the presence of GNLA rebels in the area rushed a SWAT team to the spot. GNLA militants attacked the Swat team as soon as it reached the spot. | violent |
| March 31 | NS | The UALA turned down a proposal for the unification of all insurgent groups within the Garo Hills region, an idea floated recently by the GNLA. The GNLA had on March 29 come out with the idea of all the insurgent groups coming together under the banner of a GULF to ensure the movement gained a 'proper direction'. UALA 'chairman' Chiindik Marak said in a press statement that "We will never welcome the proposal of the GNLA, unless and until they initiate a discussion on the issue of a separate State. We are dedicated, humble and responsible soldiers fighting for Garo people's rights. We will support the peace process, if government makes their intentions clear on the issue of separate State". | Statement |
| March 31 | South Garo Hills | A trader running a hardware store in Rongrikkimgre village of Chokpot in South Garo Hills was abducted at gunpoint in broad daylight during the weekly market day. Police suspect the involvement of either the banned GNLA or newly-formed outfit ASAK. A suspected over ground worker of militants has reportedly been picked up in connection with the abduction. | Violent |
| April 2 | NS | The GNLA has denied any involvement in the recent abduction of a trader from Rongrikkimgre Village of Chokpot in South Garo Hills. The trader, Dulal Roy an owner of a hardware store in the market was abducted at gunpoint by three unidentified armed militants on March 31. Denying its involvement in the incident 'finance secretary' of the GNLA, Rakam Ch Marak, put the blame on rival militant outfit ASAK and its 'commander-in-chief', Reding T Sangma. | Statement |
| April 10 | Garo Hills | Turf war between militant factions in five Districts of Garo hills in Meghalaya has made the counter insurgency operations of the Security Forces being extended beyond the realms of the recent operationalised areas. The splinter groups of the (GNLA) have taken over certain bases of the mother organisations and extended their areas of operations beyond those known coal belts that have been the hot bed of extortion and abductions. | Statement |
| April 13 | Shillong | Union Ministry of Home Affairs has ruled out discussion on creation of Garoland, which is the key demand of the (GNLA). JPN Singh, Director in charge North East, MHA during his recent visit to Shillong told that the demand for a separate Garoland is non-negotiable. "The separate Garoland demand is non-negotiable. However, talks with GNLA will take place, but the militant outfit has to give up Garoland demand", the official said. According to the MHA functionary, the Centre has shown interest to hold talks with GNLA, but the Garoland demand is an irritating factor. "But we will take care of other demands of GNLA", he also said. | Statement |
| April 17 | NS | GNLA militant, Marak, escaped from Civil Hospital in Tura town in West Garo Hills. Marak was undergoing treatment at the hospital after he, along with another militant Ringrang A Sangma, were beaten by an angry mob at Ampati in South West Garo hills District on April 16. | Non-Violent |
| April 20 | Borjhara village /Goalpara District | Six GNLA militants were arrested at Borjhara village in Goalpara District by SFs. Four 7.65 mm pistols two country made rifles, two swords, number of live rounds, five mobile phones and three motorcycles have been recovered. | Non-Violent |
| April 21 | Resubelpara/ North Garo Hills | Several GNLA cadres, who were having a picnic, escaped after an exchange of fire between them and Police at Resubelpara, North Garo Hills in the evening. there was no report of casualty. | Violent |
| April 29 | NS | A report says that prominent leader of ULFA-I faction Drishti Rajkhowa has shifted to Sherpur in Bangladesh, from Garo hills where he was staying with GNLA. | Non-Violent |
| May1 | Daji Badimagre-Boldakgre/ South Garo Hills District | GNLA militant was killed by Police Commandos at at Daji Badimagre-Boldakgre village, a remote Chokpot region of South Garo Hills District. The incident happened when the Police Commandos from SWAT unit engaged in counter insurgency operation saw a group of GNLA militants who were going to the village. The Police recovered an AK-47 with several rounds of ammunition and a knapsack containing camouflage uniforms from the deceased. The militants who escaped in the encounter later returned and fired at the SFs. | Violent |
| May 1 | NS | Meghalaya Government is trying to bring UALA and GNLA for negotiations. The Government has been engaging with the leadership of both the groups at various levels. Meanwhile it has clearly stated that the Government will not succumb to the militant groups' demands. The State Home Minister, Roshan Warjri had earlier said that 'chairman' of the GNLA Champion Sangma will not be released before any peaceful settlement has been reached. | Statement |
| May 17 | Medhipara/ Goalpara | Two GNLA militants were arrested near Medhipara in Goalpara District along the Phutamati-Rongsai road while they were travelling from Meghalaya to Assam by SFs. Two 7.65 mm pistols (China made) and two live rounds were recovered from them. The militants during interrogation stated that they were working with GNLA for last three to four years and were on their way to Rangsai to kidnap a local trader. | Non-Violent |
| May 18 | NS | UALA and GNLA have been carrying out heavy extortion from the local population residing along Assam-Meghalaya border. | Statment |
| May 17 | Medhipara/ Goalpara | Two GNLA militants were arrested near Medhipara in Goalpara District along the Phutamati-Rongsai road while they were travelling from Meghalaya to Assam by SFs. Two 7.65 mm pistols (China made) and two live rounds were recovered from them. The militants during interrogation stated that they were working with GNLA for last three to four years and were on their way to Rangsai to kidnap a local trader. | Non-Violent |
| May 18 | NS | UALA and GNLA have been carrying out heavy extortion from the local population residing along Assam-Meghalaya border | Statement |
| May 23 | NS | GNLA demanded a judicial probe or CBI probe into the custodial death of Balsan S Marak or to prepare for a two-day shutdown of the entire Garo Hills region. | Statement |
| May 24 | Asanang/West Garo Hills | GNLA demand pads were recovered from residence of Cherang M. Sangma,an ASAK militant. | Non-Violent |
| May 26 | Tura/ West Garo Hills | Two GNLA cadres, identified as Dipson Ch Marak and Jisen Ch Momin were arrested from Tura Market. | Non-Violent |
| May 27 | New Delhi | ANVC-B 'chairman' Rimpu Marak stated the need to include GNLA for negotiations. He stated that "Without bringing GNLA to the negotiating table, there will be no peace". | Statement |
| May 27 | Daji Badimagre/ South Garo Hills | Militants of GNLA killed a former cadre of the outfit at Daji Badimagre village of Chokpot in South Garo Hills District. | Violent |
| May 28 | Chokpot/South Garo Hills | An over ground worker of GNLA Witson M Sangma died in Police custody in Chokpot Police Station in South Garo Hills. He was arrested for planting two pressure cooker IEDs on a road in Chokpot on May 20. | Violent |
| May 28 | Pohktieh/ Shillong | GNLA militant, Tuseng S Sangma was arrested from Pohktieh locality in Shillong. Police recovered eleven new mobile phones meant for GNLA cadres, INR 17, 500 and camouflage uniform. | Non-Violent |
| May 28 | Haldibari/ West Garo Hills | A village elder Huzil Mann succumbed to his injuries after an attack by suspected GNLA militants his house at village Haldibari near Selsella in West Garo Hills on May 24. | Violent |
| May 29 | Grongkam | ARF condemned the custodial death of GNLA over ground worker in Police custody. | Statement |
| May 31 | Chokpot/ South Garo Hills | Curfew was relaxed in Chokpot region of South Garo Hills for eight hours as no untoward incident was reported since May 29 mob attack on the Police Station over a death of suspected GNLA over ground worker. | Non-Violent |
| June 3 | Raja Ronggat/ South Garo Hills | A woman was shot dead by GNLA militants, led by a militant identified, as Tengton at Raja Ronggat village of Chokpot, in South Garo Hills. | Violent |
| June 3 | Boldoka/West Garo Hills | Two government employees identified as as Mekmohan Koch and Rashim Koch were abducted by suspected GNLA militants, led by Krimpet, a GNLA 'commander' at Boldoka in Selsella region, West Garo Hills. Though Police caught up with the abductors at Dipogre village in South Garo Hills District, after a brief encounter the militants escaped. | Violent |
| June 3 | Zekabari/West Garo Hills | Shoe shop owner in Zekabari, in West Garo Hills, identified as Fozal Haque who was abducted on June 1 escaped from the GNLA militants. | Non-Violent |
| June 4 | Raja Ronggat/ South Garo Hills | A 35-year-old woman was killed by GNLA militants on June 3 as she resisted their rape attempt, a top Police official said. GNLA left a note stating that she was a Police informer. Meghalaya Police have confirmed that GNLA militant Tengton led the group that executed the woman. | Statement |
| June 5 | Raja Ronggat/ South Garo Hills | Political affairs secretary' of GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang Marak stated that the woman killed on June 3 was a Police informer. | Statement |
| June 4 | Durama hills/ East Garo Hills | Garo Hills Police busted GNLA leader Sohan D Shira's camp in Durama hills in East Garo Hills District. SFs recovered three bullet proof jackets along with an air gun, some personal belongings of the militants. Militants escaped without any casualties. | Violent |
| May 17 | Medhipara/ Goalpara | Two GNLA militants were arrested near Medhipara in Goalpara District along the Phutamati-Rongsai road while they were travelling from Meghalaya to Assam by SFs. Two 7.65 mm pistols (China made) and two live rounds were recovered from them. | Non-Violent |
| May 18 | NS | UALA and GNLA have been carrying out heavy extortion from the local population residing along Assam-Meghalaya border. | Statement |
| June 5 | NS | GNLA 'vice chairman' Rafus Marak stated that the outfit has resolved to remove Alva Sangma a Garo Hills-based journalist and the 'chief Advisor' to GNLA's 'chief' Sohan D Shira from the post. They alleged that she misappropriated fund, she was found guilty of sending photos of GNLA camps to the Police. | Non-Violent |
| June 6 | Shillong | After killing of the 35-year-old woman in Raja Ronggat village in South Garo Hills by GNLA militants and the rise in militant-related activities in the Garo Hills, the Opposition-Meghalaya Peoples Front called for presidential rule. | Non-Violent |
| June 7 | NS | South Garo Hills Police Chief Lakador Syiem has made it clear that the 35-year-old woman who was killed by GNLA was not a Police informer. | Statement |
| June 7 | NS | Several Garo pressure groups and NGOs condemned killing of a 35-year-old woman in Chokpot by GNLA. | Non-Violent |
| June 7 | NS | State Police denied the report that the GNLA 'chairman', Champion R Sangma, is using cell phone with internet connection in Shillong jail. | Statement |
| June 8 | Jaksongram/ South Garo Hills | GNLA militant, identified as Nikho Marak who was assaulted by the public in South Garo Hills while extorting money succumbed to his injuries. | Violent |
| June 8 | NS | ANVC-B said that there is a hope of restoring peace in Garo Hills since GNLA 'chairman' Champion has been considering the possibilities of avoiding further bloodshed. | Statement |
| June 8 | NS | At least 12 persons have been executed by GNLA militants since 2012, alleging them to be Police informers. | Statement |
| June 9 | Shillong | CM Mukul Sangma said that a list of interlocutors to hold dialogues with GNLA has been forwarded to GoI. | Statement |
| June 11 | Shillong | Mukul Sangma stated that Government would re-look into the proposed peace talks with GNLA since the govt have to re-evaluate since GNLA has continued to indulge in criminal activities and killing of innocent people.He also added that threat of GNLA to the Congress workers in Garo Hills led to the defeat of the party candidate from the Tura seat in West Garo Hills District. | Statement |
| June 12 | Shillong | GNC MLA Clifford R Marak stated that GNLA militants are allegedly killing wild animals to feed themselves. | Statement |
| June 15 | Kalyanpur/ Goalpara | Two GNLA militants Singbard Sangma and his linkman Akhtar Hussain were killed in an encounter at Kalyanpur near NH 17 in Goalpara District. While two were killed, three escaped. Two 7.65mm USA made Pistols, large amount of ammunition, Hand grenades, and Extortion notes were recovered from the militants. A search operation has been launched to seek out the other militants too. | Violent |
| June 15 | Goalpara | Two individuals identified as Saisul Hussain and Shamina Khatun who was earlier abducted by GNLA from Bongaigaon District was rescued by SFs. Two militants were also arrested. | Non-Violent |
| June 16 | Kormangala/Bangalore | 'Vice chairman' of GNLA, Rapiush Ch. Sangma was arrested from Koramangala in Bangalore. | Non-Violent |
| June 16 | Garobadha/ South West Garo | Garo militants abducted Arvind Kumar, a Branch Manager of SBI Ampati branch from the outskirts of Garobadha town in South West Garo Hills District. GNLA militants are the prime suspects. | Non-Violent |
| June 16 | NS | GNLA 'CinC' Sohan D Shira has slammed Chokpot Legislature, Clifford R Marak for his comments alleging that the GNLA have been killing wild animals. He shifted the blame on Police Operations. | Statement |
| June 18 | NS | Top agenda for CM Mukul Sangma who is leaving for Delhi is appointment of a mutually accepted interlocutor for peace talks with GNLA. | Non-Violent |
| June 19 | NS | CM Mukul Sangma stated that there were some training camps which were jointly run by ULFA and GNLA. | Statement |
| June 23 | Norek Bolonggre/ East Garo Hills | A GNLA militant Cheman Momin, was killed in an encounter at Norek Bolonggre village of Songsak in East Garo Hills District. In addition, four militants were wounded and a militant Bishno Sangma and a women identified as Pratima Marak, girl friend of 'area commander' Ajan Momin alias Jimmy, who managed to escape, were arrested. An AK rifle with six magazines and 160 live rounds, a shot gun with eight rounds, a hand grenade, two pistols of 7.65 calibre along with 19 live rounds, 3 wireless handsets, 18 rounds of ammunition of various calibre, seven rounds of .22 pistol along with badges, camouflage dress, holsters, stamp seals and letter pads of GNLA, SIM cards and four mobile handsets besides four identity cards of the militants were recovered from the GNLA camp. | Violent |
| June 23 | NS | GNLA has killed over 100 people in the last five years. | Statement |
| June 24 | Shillong | 'chairman' of GNLA Champion Sangma, was granted bail by a local court in the case pertaining to a brawl in the high security ward of the Shillong District Jail on June 26, 2013 . | Non-Violent |
| June 25 | Kantanagre/ West Garo Hills | Suspected GNLA militants abducted four traders identified as G. Sheikh, Shah Alom, Ajgar Ali and Musaddar Ali at a place near Kantanagre village under Dadenggre Sub-Division in West Garo Hills District. The abductors have gone towards Dipogre in Baghmara Block in South Garo Hills District. | Non-Violent |
| June 26 | Darekgre/West Garo Hills | Militant identified as Dharma Kanta Rai, alias in GNLA as Garo Champa who was on 'deputation' from the ULFA-I to GNLA was killed during a rescue operation by West Garo Hills Police at Darekgre near Rongmasugre village in West Garo Hills District to free four traders abducted on June 25. Police recovered an AK-56 rifle, 66 bullets, two AK magazines, one 7.65mm pistol, one pistol magazine, 3 live rounds of a 7.65mm pistol, a walkie-talkie, two plastic explosives, three detonators, approximately 33,000 in cash and demand notes of the GNLA. | Violent |
| June 29 | New Delhi | GoI rejected a proposal for talks with GNLA but is ready to strengthen Police Forces with INR 5 billion assistance. A Government source stated that, "The GNLA has to be dealt with force and without compromise." | Statement |
Source:Compiled from news reports and are provisional.
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