Thaindian News

Shillong, June 20 (IANS) In a major breakthrough, the police arrested the chief arms procurer of the outlawed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), a rebel group operating in western Meghalaya, an official said Wednesday.

Jackuish A. Sangma was nabbed Tuesday night from Tura, the district headquarter 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.

“He (Jackuish) has been under our (police) scanner for several months after being released on bail from Shillong district jail for his involvement in procurement of arms and ammunition for the GNLA,” Mukesh Kumar Singh, district police chief of West Garo Hills, told IANS.

Singh said Jackuish procured arms and ammunition from suppliers based in Dimapur, a town of Nagaland, bordering Assam.

In recent months, Assam Police have seized huge consignment of arms and ammunition, including rocket launchers, shells and foreign-made pistols, which were brought from Dimapur via Assam to Garo Hills.

Jackuish has been involved in the recent procurement of arms and ammunition which were seized by Assam Police. The police have registered a case against him based on the confession of some arrested GNLA rebels, Singh said.

Police have booked Jackuish under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Arms Act and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Meanwhile, a top police official termed the arrest of Jackuish as a major breakthrough for the state police.

“Jackuish’s arrest is a prize catch for Meghalaya Police and a major blow to the outfit,” a police official said.