Thaindian News

Shillong, Nov 25 (IANS) The “arrest” of Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) chief Champion R. Sangma in Bangladesh is shrouded in mystery, as the Meghalaya government Friday sought an official confirmation from the centre.

Champion, who claims to be fighting for a separate Garoland in western part of Meghalaya, was reportedly detained by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) commandos Wednesday night from Haluaghat in Mymensingh district north western part of Bangladesh.

The GNLA is also yet to make any statement to confirm or deny the arrest of their supremo.

“We have not received any official confirmation about the arrest but asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to confirm it,” Home Minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh told IANS.

Though, top officials in the state police headquarters are not willing to make official comment on Champion’s arrest in Bangladesh, they, however, maintained that he (Champion) has been arrested.

Moreover, central intelligence agencies maintained the arrest of the GNLA chief is “confirmed”.

“It is just a matter of time and we are hoping that he would soon be push to India,” an intelligence official, who did not wish to be named, said.

However, an Indian home ministry official said that New Delhi does not have any official confirmation of Champion’s detention.

“I will neither deny nor confirm the arrest of Champion,” Shambhu Singh, joint secretary (Northeast) in the union home ministry, told IANS.

Leader of the Opposition, Conrad Sangma cautioned the government of being too enthusiastic about Champion’s arrest if at all it was true.

“He (Champion) was always away from Garo Hills, according to intelligence reports. Most of the other cadres worked without him giving active guidance, so his arrests would not make that much of an impact on the GNLA,” the NCP legislator told journalists.

Champion, a former deputy superintendent of police, deserted the Meghalaya Police and floated the GNLA due to alleged harassment by his seniors.

The outfit which has also forged an alliance with the Bangladesh-based rebel group, A’chik Special Dragon Party has unleashed a reign of terror in the three impoverished districts of Garo Hills in the western part of Meghalaya.

Meghalaya shares a 443-km border with Bangladesh, part of which is porous, hilly and unfenced and prone to frequent infiltration.

It has forged an operational alliance with the United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).

Both the Assam-based rebel groups have transformed the GNLA into a violent group with access to sophisticated arms and ammunitions.

Over 20 people, including security personnel, have been killed in the Garo Hills in the last one year by GNLA rebels.

In fact, the central government had sought the views of the Meghalaya government before declaring the GNLA as an outlawed rebel outfit

The GNLA has over 100 rebels, including a few women cadres, operating in the three impoverished districts. The outfit has procured a cache of HK53 rifles and explosives to add to their arsenal.