Shillong, Jan 17 (IANS) Two bullet-riddled bodies were recovered in insurgency-ravaged district of East Garo Hills in Meghalaya Tuesday, even as police are still clueless about the whereabouts of the abducted manger of a firm working on a railway project, police said.

Enjti Marak and Pak Momin were gunned down by Garo National Liberation Army rebels. Their bodies were spotted by people at Rongrong village under Resubelpara Sub-Division, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Rajiv Mehta said.

“The two civilians were killed by the GNLA for extorting money in the name of the rebel outfit (GNLA). A letter head of the GNLA was recovered from the bodies of the duo, warning others extorting money in the name of GNLA will meet the same fate,” Mehta told IANS.

Police have registered a case and a man hunt is on to nab the rebels.

The GNLA, which is 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.

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

Meanwhile, Meghalaya and Assam police are continuing with their search operation to rescue Ganeshyam Das, 78, the manager of Rajpat MKJ Engineering, who was abducted at gun point Monday by two unidentified men from Choto Miapara village in East Garo Hills.

Das was abducted by suspected Rabha Viper Army rebels after he visited the railway line construction site at Mendipathar area in East Garo Hills

The Northeast Frontier Railway is developing a 19.47 km broad gauge line from Assam’s Dudhnoi to Mendipathar in East Garo Hills.

“We are yet to rescue him but the operation is still on to trace him,” Mehta said.

Though no rebel group has claimed responsibility, intelligence agencies here suspect the handiwork of Rabha Viper Army - a rebel group operating largely in Rabha tribe-inhabited areas in Assam’s Goalpara district and certain areas of Meghalaya’s East and West Garo Hills districts.

“Though there are no specific inputs, we suspect the Rabha Viper Army must have carried out the abduction,” an intelligence official told IANS on condition of anonymity.

The Rabha Viper Army was formed with the support of Assam-based secessionist group United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in 2008.