Garo militants abduct 2 Meghalaya engineers
January 25th, 2012 - 5:53 pm ICT by IANSShillong, Jan 25 (IANS) Heavily-armed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) rebels abducted three Meghalaya government engineers at gunpoint in the state’s West Garo Hills district, but one of them was later released unharmed, police said Wednesday.
The abduction took place Tuesday midnight when the GNLA swooped upon the official quarters of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) in the Rongkhon area, 318 km west of Shillong, the state capital.
“The rebels abducted three engineers - Apus Pothmi, Boney Majaw and Marshal R Swer - at gunpoint and took them away to a nearby forest,” state police chief N. Ramachandran told IANS.
Ramachandran said the rebels, who identified themselves as members of the GNLA, however, released Swer unharmed.
“We are still investigating whether any ransom has been demanded. A search operation is on to rescue them,” he added.
Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and Meghalaya’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) commandos have been pressed into service to trace the hostages.
The GNLA, headed by police officer-turned outlaw Champion R. Sangma, has unleashed a reign of terror in the three impoverished districts of Garo Hills in the western part of Meghalaya.
However, Indian intelligence officials believe Champion has been “arrested” by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) commandos Nov 23 night from Haluaghat in Mymensingh district of Bangladesh.
Over 20 people, including security personnel, have been killed in the area in the last one year by GNLA rebels.
Champion, who claims to be fighting for a separate Garoland, has been camping in Bangladesh for several months in search of support.
The outfit has also forged an alliance with the Bangladesh-based rebel group, A’chik Special Dragon Party.
Meghalaya shares a 443-km border with Bangladesh, part of which is porous, hilly and unfenced and prone to infiltration.
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- Abducted Meghalaya engineers freed: Police - Feb 05, 2012
- 10 days on, no trace of kidnapped Meghalaya engineers - Feb 03, 2012
- 'Electification projects on in Garo Hills' - Jan 30, 2012
- Meghalaya Police announce reward for catching GNLA rebels - Apr 28, 2012
- Garo terrorists treated us well, say released engineers - Feb 06, 2012
- Centre unlikely to accede to Garoland, says G.K. Pillai - Feb 14, 2012
- No trace of kidnapped official in Meghalaya - Nov 28, 2011
- Fierce gunfight between Garo rebels, commandos - Jan 28, 2012
- Suspected Meghalaya rebels abduct official, traders - Nov 21, 2011
- Rebels free Meghalaya official after 34 days - Dec 24, 2011
- Determined to end Garo terror outfit: Chidambaram - Feb 19, 2012
- Meghalaya rebels set conditions for releasing official - Nov 23, 2011
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Tags: combat battalion, energy corporation, garo hills district, government engineers, gunpoint, intelligence officials, meghalaya, national liberation army, nearby forest, ramachandran, rapid action, rebel group, reign of terror, search operation, security personnel, shillong, special weapons and tactics, swer, west garo hills, west garo hills district