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Incidents and Statements involving LAEF: 2006-2012

2012

December 19: SFs rescued the Nokma (Headman), Hegimson Momin, of Jogisil Village from Shallang in West Khasi Hills District. During the operation, exchange of fire between LAEF and SFs took place. Later, militants fled the area. Suspected LAEF militants had abducted the headman on November 30.

December 10: Police arrested five LAEF cadres from the border area of Ri Bhoi District. The militants are identified as Lakman, Binakson Momin, Milestone Momin, Boro Momin and Sanjay Sangma. The militants were picked up while they were distributing demand notes to quarry owners in areas around Pilangkata and Killing.

December 5: SFs rescued an abducted businessman, D Dubey, from suspected LAEF militants in West Khasi Hills District. No casualties were reported on either side.

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.

August 20: LAEF lobbed a grenade into the wine store in Mangsang town of East Garo Hills District.No one was injured. The suspected militants came to Mangsang bazar at 12:30 pm and threw the grenade into the shop. The grenade, however, did not explode

July 6: The Tura area commander of the LAEF identified as Habil T Sangma (22) who went by the name of Agil was arrested in Babadam village.

SFs three gang members related of LAEF from Nakham Bazaar who were caught red-handed collecting money from traders on July 6. The three extortionists have been identified as Jodin D Shira, Freshwell Marak and Riksrang Ch Marak. Police have seized two motorcycles used by the gang for issuing demand notes and collecting extortion money besides incriminating documents.

July 5: SFs arrested two extortionist linked to LAEF identified as Sebastian Ch Marak and Luthenbirth R Sangma on in the night.

July 4: 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.

2011

November 4: An official of the Soil and Water Conservation department, identified as Ranger Salnang Sangma who was abducted by suspected unidentified former militants in East Garo Hills on November 3 was rescued during an operation by Police. Police informed that the miscreants had initially demanded money from Sangma's father. "After he refused to pay the money they abducted his son," Police said. Police are on the lookout for two former LAEF cadres, Sengchad Momin and Salman Sangma, who they suspect to be behind the abduction.

August 29: Artil G. Momin alias Pangkkam of the LAEF surrendered before the Sub-Divisional Police officer of Resubelpara, B.D. Marak, at Resubelpara in East Garo Hills District. Momin surrendered one .32 pistol with six live rounds, two hand grenades and two rocket-propelled grenades.

August 2: Four militants of LAEF, identified as Zethus N. Marak, Salman R. Marak, Sengchar G. Momin and Sillang G. Momin, surrendered before the Superintendent of Police of East Garo Hills District at Williamnagar. They deposited a Chinese carbine and a .9-mm pistol. The LAEF, one of the five Garo militant groups, is fighting for an independent Achik (hill) state for the Garo tribals in western part of Meghalaya.

2010

December 16: The ‘chairman’ of LAEF, Dimrim N. Sangma alias Ramen, surrendered before the East Garo Hills District SP S. Nongtnger along with four other cadres of the outfit in Williamnagar. According to the SP, the other four militants were ‘sergeants’ Rakshimbirth Sangma alias Rakrik, Ninja G. Momin alias Kakim, ‘lance corporal’ Akash G. Momin alias Bamrik and Tangrik Sangma alias Gilmat. "They deposited a 7.65 mm pistol with 10 rounds of live ammunition, a locally made lookalike of AK-47 rifle, an HE-36 grenade, a crude bomb, ten rounds of live MMG ammunition, their demand letters and receipt books," said Nongtnger, and added that all the five had undergone arms training in NSCN.

December 2: The ‘chief’ of Garo hills-based militant outfit, the LAEF, Nikseng G. Momin, along with another cadre was killed in an encounter with Police at Darugre reserve forest in the East Garo Hills District. The other militant was identified as Rakbat Sangma. The Police recovered two pistols, a hand grenade and documents from the encounter site. Momin alias Dilkan and his gang were earlier involved in the killing of a Police commando, R.D. Sangma in 2008 after an ambush in the West Khasi Hills. According to the Police, the outfit mainly consists of deserters of other militant groups in Garo hills.

September 25: An unidentified LAEF cadre was shot dead by the Police during an encounter at Shahlang in West Khasi Hills District. While a locally made revolver, a demand note of INR 7 00000 were recovered from the possession of the slain cadre, three other cadres managed to escape from the encounter site. Sources said the encounter ensued after the Special Operation Team (SOT) personnel got a tip-off about two traders from Shahlang going to deliver INR 7 00000 to the LAEF at Rongkhujre. With resumption of the coal trade for the season, the traders said, demand notes have started coming in from the LAEF.

September 18: Three LAEF militants were lynched after a scuffle with villagers at Menadoba market in East Garo Hills District. They were identified as Arup Marak, Lucas Marak and Gneng Marak.

September 7: The Meghalaya Police recovered three foreign-made pistols with ammunition, 69 rounds of live medium machine gun (MMG) ammunition stored in a box, a laptop, a solar plate, two wireless sets and documents belonging to ULFA cadres after an operation against the militants holed up at Danal Dasik in the Songsak area in East Garo Hills District, reports Telegraph. The Police said there were around six militants belonging to ULFA’s ‘109th battalion’ in the hideout in Songsak, who managed to escape leaving behind the ammunition following counter-insurgency operations. The Police said ULFA’s ‘109th battalion’ is quite active in Garo hills which is being used by the outfit as a corridor to ferry arms and ammunition to Assam. The militants cross over to South and West Garo Hills from Bangladesh. The Police also fear that the militant groups active in Garo Hills like the Garo National Liberation Army and Liberation of Achik Elite Force (LAEF) which have links with ULFA, can use the weapons in Meghalaya to create law and order problems. "We are concerned about the stockpile but committed to check the trend as these arms may be used against soft targets in Assam," the Police official added.

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 Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), led by Champion Sangma, who held the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police before deserting the forces. He said the GNLA might have carried out the attack with the help of local goons. The Police are not ruling out the involvement of other militant outfits like the LAEF. But their primary suspect is the GNLA as it has a stronghold in Garo Hills and Sangma knows the Police armoury and the places the arms are stored with the East Garo Hills District administration.

August 1: Two LAEF cadres surrendered before East Garo Hills District Police. "The ongoing police operation to curb on the outfit's criminal activities in the district has led to the duo's surrender," Superintendent of Police of East Garo Hills District Sylvester Nongtynger said.

August 1: Two LAEF cadres surrendered before East Garo Hills District Police. "The ongoing police operation to curb on the outfit's criminal activities in the district has led to the duo's surrender," Superintendent of Police of East Garo Hills District Sylvester Nongtynger said.

June 25: Two LAEF cadres were arrested by the Guwahati Police during a search operation in city in Assam.

March 19: The Meghalaya Governor R. S. Mooshahary expressed concern over mushrooming of militant groups in Garo hills and the activities of Assam-based outfits along the border. The Governor said that recent developments, such as reports on the formation of militant groups in Garo hills, were a cause of concern. Other militant groups active in Garo hills are LAEF, People's Liberation Front of Meghalaya (PLF-M), Achik National Security Defence (ANSD), Atong Liberation Army (ALA), and United Achik National Front (UANF). ULFA and NDFB are also active in Garo hills and border of Ri Bhoi District. The Governor said that the Government was committed to contain militancy at all costs. The Governor added that the security establishment of the State has acted swiftly to break up and contain the activities of the Hynniewtrep Liberation Front (HLF) in Khasi hills, and LAEF in the Garo hills. He said the activities of the local militant organisations like the HNLC and ANVC have been substantially controlled.

February 7: Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D. Lapang in the Conference of Chief Ministers on Internal Security asked the Centre to go for a tripartite political and development accord with the ANVC to bring the ongoing peace process to a logical conclusion. He also stated that insurgent outfits like ULFA, National Socialist Council of Nagaland, NDFB and UPDS are not only supporting groups like LAEF, but also providing them arms, ammunition and training. He said that insurgent outfits both from the Northeast and adjoining Bangladesh were also using the peaceful State of Meghalaya both as temporary sanctuary and corridor. Lapang further claimed that both ANVC and HNLC have been largely neutralised with a sustained Police operation. But passive militancy is still a cause for concern, he further added.

January 16: Two LAEF militants are killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) in Songsak area in East Garo Hills District bordering South Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills Districts.

2009

January 16: Two LAEF militants are killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) in Songsak area in East Garo Hills District bordering South Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills Districts.

December 14: Meghalaya Director General of Police S. B. Kakati said so far only the LAEF was active with a few cadres and weapons but its strength had been drastically reduced following successive operations by the State Police.

November 22: The Meghalaya Police neutralized a hideout of the LAEF and arrested five of its cadres, including ‘sergeant major’ Kyndoh Momin, during a counter-insurgency operation at Byrnihat in the Ri-Bhoi District along the Meghalaya-Assam border. Police later recovered some letter-heads, demand notes and seals of the outfit. Police said the militants were involved in extortion in the State.

November 19: The Inspector General of Police, B. L. Buam, said, "So far, the combing operation launched in State’s Garo Hills region and West Khasi Hills district shown good results with the arrest of two LAEF cadres and seizures of arms and ammunition." He said, ''Yes, we have made the breakthrough, but the flush-out operation against LAEF militants will continue to ensure peace and stability in the region.'' The LAEF maintains its linkages with the NSCN-IM, ULFA and NDFB. The militant outfit has set up its operational camp inside the Balpakram National Park, with the help of the NSCN-IM, to impart guerilla warfare tactics to the new LAEF recruits.

August 20: An unidentified LAEF militant is shot dead by the East Garo Hills District Police during an encounter at Nengkra near Williamnagar. However, some other militants of the group manage to escape from the encounter site.

July 7: Police arrested three LAEF militants at Sisobibra village in the East Garo Hills District while extorting INR 500000 from an unidentified local businessman. The trio was later identified as Demash M. Sangma alias Dema, Hamil T. Sangma and ‘Lance Corporal’ Sengba W. Momin.

March 24: Meghalaya Police neutralise a camp of the LAEF outfit at Tajal area near Shahlang in the West Khasi Hills District. However, the militants manage to escape from the incident site.

2008

December 7: A Special Operations Team constable, R.D. Sangma, and the 'commander-in-chief' of the LAEF, Kimrey K. Sangma, are killed during an encounter between police and militants at Damit village near Shahlang in the West Khasi Hills district. While an AK-47 assault rifle and some ammunition were recovered, other militants managed to escape from the encounter site.

November 28: The 'area commander' and six other cadres of the LAEF, earlier arrested by the police personnel from Kadambari in the Ri-Bhoi district on November 18, are shifted to the prison at Williamnagar in the East Garo Hills district.

November 25: Meghalaya Police said the ULFA and NDFB militants are using the LAEF cadres to make crude bombs. Police recover five crude bombs along with other arms and ammunition and incriminating documents from the nine LAEF militants arrested in the Ri-Bhoi district bordering Assam on November 18. They suspect that the LAEF militants were making a base in a forest area near Pilangkatta in the Ri-Bhoi district and were seeking logistic support from the ULFA and NDFB cadres. Meanwhile, a senior unnamed police official says LAEF militants usually go to Nagaland to procure arms from the NSCN-IM cadres. The NSCN-IM cadres also come to the Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills to help LAEF cadres with extortion and abduction. The report added that the LAEF had already set up two ‘commands’ — one in East Garo Hills and another in West Khasi Hills. The LAEF could not establish a third command in Ri-Bhoi as nine LAEF cadres were arrested by the police, when they were trying to set up camp in the area. The police claim that Naga militants are assisting LAEF cadres in East Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills districts. "While the NSCN (I-M) cadres supply arms to LAEF, the latter has to part with the major portion of extortion amount collected from coal laden trucks and businessmen in Garo Hills and West Khasi Hill," the police added. The police said though the strength of trained LAEF cadres is 50, the arrested militants claimed that the total strength, including the untrained cadres, would be around 200.

November 24: A senior unnamed police officer said nine LAEF militants, arrested near Pilangkatta in the Ri-Bhoi district on November 18, confessed during interrogation that the Garo outfit is recruiting computer literates and juveniles to widen its network. "Computer-savvy people were being employed to operate from inaccessible terrain to hoodwink intelligence personnel, while juveniles got the menial tasks done smoothly," mentions the police officer. "The arrested juveniles — Molin Sangma, 17, and Ranjit Marak, 15, — and computer expert George Sangma are new recruits," he says.

November 18: Meghalaya Police arrested nine senior LAEF cadres, including an 'area commander', when they neutralised a newly set up militant camp at Kadambari near Pilangkata in the Ri-Bhoi district along Meghalaya-Assam border. The 'area commander' is identified as Sengrang Momin from a village near Williamnagar in the East Garo Hills district. He confessed that he was a student of the Umshyrpi College in capital Shillong. The Superintendent of Police of Ri-Bhoi District, M.K. Dkhar, said that Sengrang had travelled to various parts of the Northeast, including Nagaland. Police recover a US-made revolver, magazines, ammunition, wireless in local loop phones, five grenades, a laptop and several incriminating documents including extortion notes from the possession of the arrested militants.

November 10: A LAEF cadre, Sail R. Marak, is arrested by Meghalaya Police from Nangalbibra in the South Garo Hills district. He belongs to Bhalukmari in the Goalpara district of Assam. A 7.65 pistol and a demand note for INR 5, 00, 000 are recovered from his possession. According to police sources, the demand note was meant to be issued to one Rajeev Bihari.

November 9: Meghalaya Police said that the LAEF militants were collecting at least INR 10,000 from a truck per month in Shahlang in the West Khasi Hills district and Nangalbibra area in the South Garo Hills district. Police reportedly come to know of the extortion drive of the Garo outfit during interrogation of its leader Arvind Sangma, who was arrested from Shahlang seven days before. "We are going all-out to stop the extortion drive of LAEF," Superintendent of Police of West Khasi Hills district H. Kharkrang says.

October 31: A LAEF cadre, Arvind Sangma, is injured by the West Khasi Hills district police during an encounter at Rongkhugre village. While Arvind is arrested, five other militants manage to escape from the encounter site. A 9-mm Italian-made pistol, some ammunition and cash are recovered from Arvind's possession.

September 30: A newly recruited cadre of the LAEF surrenders before the East Garo Hills district police at Williamnagar. The militant hails from Dolonggre area of West Garo Hills district.

September 13: Meghalaya Police arrest one LAEF cadre, Sosing A. Sangma, during a search operation at Bajengdoba. One M-20 pistol and some live ammunition are recovered from his possession.

August 4: In a joint operation, the East and South Garo Hills District Police neutralise a LAEF hideout and seize a huge cache of arms and ammunition. Police raid the residence of one person, Gilberth M. Sangma, in the Jadigittim area of South Garo Hills and recover one powerful US-made shotgun with six rounds of live ammunition, a .22 rifles, ammunition of .303 rifles and 9-mm pistol, a wireless walkie-talkie and a bundle of LAEF extortion notes.

July 11: Meghalaya Police arrested one LAEF militant, Sengba W. Momin, from Tura in the West Garo Hills district. He confessed to his involvement in the abduction of a trader, Bendra Prajaparti, from Rongjeng in the East Garo Hills district on March 10. He is also accused of hurling a grenade at Wagesi Weigh Bridge on May 26 and killing a person at Nonchram on the same day.

July 1: Meghalaya Police recover the dead body of Nicheng Sangma, self-styled 'commander-in-chief' of the LAEF, near a camp of the outfit at Parasin in the East Garo Hills district. Police also recover three AK-47 assault rifles from the incident site. Earlier, police arrested two suspected LAEF cadres, Anju Sangma and Christian Sangma, from Pengkasot village. They confessed that Nicheng was killed by the LAEF cadres over the leadership issue.

June 30 : Two LAEF cadres, Anju Sangma and Christian A. Marak, are arrested by Meghalaya Police and Army during a joint search operation along Assam-Meghalaya border. Two Chinese grenades are recovered from them.

June 5: An encounter between Meghalaya Police and suspected LAEF militants occurs at Thodmari in the West Khasi Hills district. However, no casualty is reported on either side. The encounter took place when a police team from East Garo and West Khasi Hills was returning after collecting the remains of LAEF chief Peter Marak's younger brother Darong T. Marak. Darong is suspected to have been killed by his fellow cadre after a clash over a share of money at Thodmari on December 21, 2007. Meanwhile, police sources say they recovered only ribs and bones of Darong from a gorge at a place in Thodmari.

May 31: Intelligence sources said that seven former Naga insurgents, who deserted the NSCN–IM and NSCN-K, continue to maintain links with the HNLC and LAEF to extort money from coal exporters and other traders in the coal belts of West Khasi Hills and Garo Hills. "The Naga men normally go back to their State after collecting huge amount of money through extortion in Meghalaya," the sources stated. Intelligence sources also indicated that former NSCN cadres involved in extortion in Meghalaya were planning to form a new militant outfit that could be more powerful than the NSCN-IM and NSCN-K. Many coal exporters from and outside the State have incurred huge losses due to the ongoing extortion drive jointly launched by cadres of the NSCN, HNLC and LAEF. Militants’ threat is reported to have forced several coal exporters to leave the coal belt areas recently.

May 28: May 28: The LAEF's new 'commander-in-chief' Daria Sangma, while speaking to the media over phone, reconfirms the Meghalaya Police’s claim that the LAEF has forged ties with the Assam-based Black Widow (BW) outfit. He said that it was in the interest of consolidating LAEF to pursue its goal of a ‘separate Garo state’. The report added that a group of five LAEF cadres recently returned from arms training organised by the BW in Assam. Daria also said the Garo outfit had recently held a general council meeting in the West Khasi Hills in which he was appointed the new ‘army chief’ in the presence of LAEF ‘chairman’ Darong T. Marak who, according to police, had been killed by his own colleagues long ago. The LAEF general council meeting is said to have also appointed one Khanam D. Shira as ‘general secretary’ of the outfit, besides a former ANVC cadre Nikseng Sangma holding an important portfolio within the group. Nikseng had deserted the ANVC and joined with former ANVC 'eastern area commander' Sohan D. Shira to help the LAEF during the early days of its formation. Following the killing of the then ‘chairman’ Peter Marak in the hands of police and subsequent surrender of Sohan before the government, Nikseng reportedly fled into the LAEF stronghold of West Khasi Hills. Daria also says tells the media that the general council meeting had taken up several resolutions one of which was to turn ‘pro-active’ in its operations against certain organisations aligning with the government to wipe out the outfit.

May 14: The 'eastern commander' of the LAEF, identified as Daria Sangma, denies reports about the death of its 'chief' Darong Marak at the hands of a former cadre, and said that he was very much alive and safe. "Our leader is not in Garo Hills, but inside Bangladesh overseeing the operational command of the outfit. Police claims are completely false," said Sangma. The East Garo Hills district police and the Army, during a joint operation, had earlier arrested a LAEF militant, Walter Sangma, from Bajengdoba area following a tip off that the militant had fled the outfit after killing his own chief. The LAEF's 'eastern commander' claimed that Walter Sangma deserted the outfit shortly after the killing of the former 'chairman' Peter Marak and had never met Darong Marak. Meanwhile, the East Garo Hills district police informed that Walter Marak revealed during interrogation that Darong had indeed been killed, but, not by him. He, however, could not identify the man who killed Darong.

May 4: Security forces arrested Walter R. Sangma, personal bodyguard of the slain 'chairman' of the LAEF Peter Marak, at Sarangkol village in the Bajengdoba area. He confessed to having killed Peter in a hideout near Songsak in December 2007 over an argument about the share of looted money.

May 3: One LAEF militant, Satjeng M. Sangma, surrenders before the Williamnagar Police.

April 23: Three persons, including two LAEF cadres, are booked under the Meghalaya Preventive Detention Act. They were recently arrested from Riangdo in the West Khasi Hills district for carrying out extortion drives in the coal belt areas. They are identified as Tipison G. Marak, Nihim G. Momin and Brimly Myrthong.

April 1: One LAEF cadre, identified as Salman Sangma, is arrested by the Meghalaya Police from Shahlang in the West Khasi Hills district.

March 27: Three LAEF cadres, Zwing D. Marak, Bilseng G. Momin and Lambor Puwein, were arrested during a search operation at Rongkhukre in the West Khasi Hills district. During interrogation, they confessed their involvement in many cases of extortion in the coal belt areas of district in the last few months. A .22 revolver, four rounds of live ammunition, two daggers and a torch were seized from their possession.

Two persons, identified as Neston P. Sangma and Jingan R. Sangma, are arrested during a search operation at Riangdim near Borsora for providing shelter to LAEF militants who were extorting money from coal exporters in West Khasi Hills. The operation was carried out based on confessional statements made by two LAEF cadres arrested earlier from Riangdim.

March 26: One policeman is wounded when LAEF militants opened fire on police personnel shifting their position for vehicle checking to another place at Dagal in the East Garo Hills district. One SBBL gun, one hand grenade and eight empty cases are recovered from the incident site.

March 12: Militants of the LAEF demand INR ten million as ransom for releasing the abducted manager of a grocery shop, Devendar Prajati. A senior police official said, "The ransom note of the LAEF was found from the grocery shop. We are investigating the matter." Prajati was abducted from his residence in Rongjeng in the East Garo Hills District on March 10-night.

2007

December 21: One extortionist claiming to be a LAEF cadre, Sucheng Marak, is killed and another was arrested by the Meghalaya Police in an encounter at Baghmara in the South Garo Hills district. One Chinese pistol, a revolver with six rounds of ammunition and INR 40,000 are recovered from the encounter site. Marak is the leader of a gang involved in extorting money from government offices in South Garo Hills. The gang had been collecting money in the name of the Achik force for the past month after serving demand notes to government offices. A few magistrates and block development officers also received demand notes, police say.

December 19: Police in Tura said that the LAEF has served extortion notes on government officials based in the South Garo Hills district. The LAEF, which is believed to have close links with the NSCN-IM, is involved in extorting money from coal mine owners in Nangalbibra and coal exporters in the Gasuapara area bordering Bangladesh. "Now, the LAEF is even serving extortion notes, ranging from INR 5,000 to INR 20,000 to government officials in the district," South Garo Hills District Superintendent of Police (SP) H. Toi said. He, however, informed that the police had managed to contain the militant activities with the arrest of a suspected LAEF militant Sukar Momin alias Sulu Ralo and two government employees – Bainstan Momin alias Bes and Tarius Sangma - alleged to be the LAEF's linkmen from Baghmara. Police also seized a locally-made revolver and extortion notes from Sukar Momin's possession, he added. According to him, "The job of these linkmen was to serve extortion notes to the targets specified by the militants, collect the money and hand it over to the LAEF."

Intelligence sources said that the NSCN-IM had provided the LAEF with as many as 15 AK-47s, 25 automatic M20 pistols and three highly powerful Universal Machine Guns, besides over a hundred hand grenades to carry out their operations in Garo Hills.

December 8: The LAEF militants waylay a police convoy and snatch an automatic carbine gun and a pistol from Sub-Inspector M.L. Barman at a place near Songsak in the East Garo Hills district. Barman is the officer-in-charge of the anti-dacoity camp at Dagal in Songsak. Police said that around six masked persons, carrying three AK-47 rifles and several pistols and appearing to be a mixed group of Bodos and Garos, were involved in the incident. Militants are engaged in extortion of money from trucks on the road near Songsak reserve forest.

November 15: Meghalaya Police said that the LAEF militants are trying to regroup in the coal belt areas of the West Khasi Hills and East Garo Hills districts. "We have information about movement of LAEF militants in the two districts of West Khasi Hills and East Garo Hills," a senior unnamed police official said. The report added that the Meghalaya Police are clueless about the identity of ‘chairman’ of the LAEF, identified as Remsu Rema alias Chingkam, who had visited certain areas of Garo Hills in the past.

November 3: Shillong Times reports that militants of the LAEF have asked for INR 500,000 from Monindra Rava, State Legislator representing Tikrikilla constituency in the West Garo Hills district, and threatened to kill his son and son-in law in case of his failure to pay the ransom within the deadline of November 5. Rava belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

October 17: Meghalaya Police said that the Nagaland-based NSCN-IM and the LAEF have joined hands to extort money from the coal traders in the South Garo Hills district. B.K. Dey Sawian, the Director General of Police, disclosed that the NSCN-IM has set up a camp in the Balpakram National Park in South Garo Hills with the help of the LAEF to extort money from coal traders in the district. The report added that after the rainy season, coal export to Bangladesh will resume in November in the Nangalbibra area of South Garo Hills, where criminal activities, including extortion and abductions for ransom, occur on a regular basis. While commenting on the recent counter-insurgency operations in the entire Balpakram National Park, Sawian says, "We, however, could not make much progress as the area where the NSCN (I-M) has set up the camp is inaccessible." Balpakaram area has been earlier used by many militant outfits for training and taking shelter. Following the killing of Peter Marak, 'commander-in-chief' of the LAEF, his younger brother Darong Marak has reportedly been trying to strengthen the outfit with the help of the NSCN-IM. Sawian mentions that the State Home Department has asked for intervention of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in the NSCN-IM's activities.

October 12: Meghalaya Police informs that there was movement of militants belonging to the NSCN-IM, ULFA and the LAEF in the entire Balpakram National Park of South Garo Hills district. Militants belonging to various outfits had earlier used the park for setting up training camps and also as a safe sanctuary against the troops, because of remoteness of the area and absence of large-scale human habitation along the park. With the annual coal export to start at Nangalbibra in October, militants are suspected to be indulging in a extortion drive.

August 30: One LAEF militant, Jackius A Sangma, is arrested by Meghalaya Police from an unspecified place. He confesses that the NSCN-IM militants were providing arms and explosives to their outfit.

August 29: Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D. Lapang has sought a report from police on the nexus between the NSCN-IM and LAEF. "I will seek the report from the police department and would act accordingly," Lapang said. Earlier, police said it would lodge a complaint with the Union Government against NSCN-IM for supplying arms and ammunition and imparting guerilla warfare training to the LAEF. The slain "commander-in-chief" of LAEF Peter Marak had revealed that NSCN-IM had provided them with AK rifles, Universal Machine Guns etc, police said. The arrested LAEF cadre, Jackius A Sangma, was found to be involved in arms deal with the NSCN-IM in Nagaland, the police added.

August 23: One LAEF militant, Lahat Marak, earlier arrested by police along with two M-20 pistols, 7.5 mm ammunition and 34 rounds of live ammunition of 9-mm pistols on August 2, is granted bail by a local court at Williamnagar. He is reportedly an active member of the ruling Congress party at Williamnagar.

August 22: The chief of the Liberation of Achik Elite Force, Peter Marak, is killed in an encounter between militants and police personnel near a hideout of the outfit at a forest near Kalak village in the East Garo Hills district. One Liberation of Achik Elite Force cadre was injured in the encounter. He was reportedly killed while leading the police to one of the outfit’s camps at Kallak, 30 kilometers from Williamnagar town, district headquarters of East Garo Hills.

August 21: The chief of the Liberation of Achik Elite Force, Peter Marak, and two of his accomplices are arrested by the Meghalaya Police from an unspecified location between Jorabad and Khanapara in the Ri Bhoi district along the Assam-Meghalaya border.

August 7: One cadre of the Liberation of Achik Elite Force involved in an arms deal in Nagaland was reportedly arrested at Shillong in the East Khasi Hills district on an unspecified date. The LAEF cadre, identified as Jackius A Sangma alias Jack, is a close associate of LAEF chairman Peter Marak. He had collected INR 100000 from a person at Williamnagar and taken the amount to Dimapur for purchasing arms.

July 4: Two cadres of the LAEF, identified as Jonathan M Sangma and Junjun M Sangma, are shot dead by the Special Operation Team of South Garo Hills police at Dimit in the East Garo Hills district. Two pistols and seven rounds of live ammunition were seized from the slain militants.

June 22: Suspected militants belonging to the Liberation of Achik Elite Force lobbed two hand grenades at Tura town and the coal-rich belt of Nangalbibra in South Garo Hills killing one civilian, identified as Sapan Baraj, and injuring 11 others. In Tura, the explosion was triggered by a grenade lobbed into the main entrance of the Super Market by three LAEF militants. Similarly, in Nangalbibra the attackers lobbed the grenade at a shop and injured three persons.

The recruitment and training has been taking place since early 2006, the report added.

2006

December 12: The on-going agitation programme of the Garo Students' Union, which is spearheading the demand for holding of the Winter Session of the State Legislative Assembly in Tura, has faced opposition from the LAEF. The outfit has warned the student body against disturbing the festive season. The outfit's 'Convenor cum Publicity Secretary', Chingkam Marak, said although the LAEF supported the demand for the session at Tura, yet, it should not be at the expense of the Garo people's wellbeing.

June 13: The Garo Hills police conduct a raid at the residence of the leader of Liberation Achik Elite Front, Peter R Marak, at Songsak in the East Garo Hills district and recover one Chinese hand grenade along with some incriminating documents, including demand notes. However, Peter managed to escape from the incident site.

June 6: Two LAEF militants, identified as Xavier P. Marak and Sylseng Marak, are arrested from Williamnagar in the East Garo Hills district.

 

 

 

 

 

 
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