Meghalaya Timeline - 2009

January 4

A National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militant, Guatam Boro, arrested after being wounded in an encounter with the Police in the Shohksih coal mining area of Jaintia Hills District a day earlier, subsequently succumbs to his injury. Guatam, hailing from Churachi village of Nalbari District in Assam, was involved along with militants of the HNLC in an extortion drive in the coalfields of Jaintia Hills District.

Meghalaya Police neutralize the 'finance cell' of the Manipur-based KYKL when they arrest five suspected militants, including two women cadres, from a rented house in the Malki area of capital. A computer, incriminating documents, including demand notes, INR 50,000 and four mobile sets are recovered from the incident site. They were identified as Ningthoujam Ronen, his wife Chamcal Bino Bala, Haobijan Dingku Singh, his wife Pramo Haobijan Maipakpi, and Thokchom Ibomcha Singh. Police said the KYKL cadres had set up the 'finance cell' in Shillong only a few months back. The modus operandi of the KYKL is to distribute the demand notes in Manipur and collect the money in Shillong through courier. The arrested cadres are booked under Sections 120b, 121 and 384 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 read with Section 10/13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Police arrested an explosives supplier, E. B. Osborn Rynjah, from his residence at Mawlai Mawdatbaki locality in the capital Shillong. His arrest follows the statement made by three other persons, Ronningstar, Bre Wanniang and Membarles, arrested earlier along with a huge quantity of explosives. "Preliminary interrogation shows that the group is involved in illegal sale of explosives to limestone quarries. The explosives have not been used by any militant outfit," Police sources said.

Shillong Times reports that Assam's Karbi Anglong District based militant groups, the Karbi National Volunteer and UPDS, are carrying out extortion activities targeting the civilians belonging to the Pnar tribe of Jaintia Hills residing under Block-I area on the Meghalaya-Assam border. Several villages, including Mooluber, Psiar, Moojem, Deinler, have been served with demand notes ranging from INR 200 to INR 1000 per household depending on the income of the family.

January 23

The HNLC has called for a boycott of the Republic Day (January 26) celebrations in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills areas.

January 29

A suspected cadre of the Manipur-based KYKL outfit, identified as Ramesh Maitie, is arrested by the Jaintia Hills District Police from Dawki under Jowai Police Station.

February 3

Three suspected cadres of the Manipur-based PLA, including a woman, are arrested by the Border Security (BSF) personnel while attempting to exfiltrate into Bangladesh through an area of the Beltoli Border Outpost (BOP) near Icchamati in the East Khasi Hills District. They are identified as Mema and her son Vinod, residents of Imphal in Manipur, and Narayan Singh of Bangladesh’s Sunamganj District. Some documents are recovered from their possession. They reveal that Mema’s husband, Y. Babu Thambi, was imparting training to cadres at the PLA training camp in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. The mother and son had left Manipur in the night of February 2 for Shillong and then went near the international border where Narayan Singh was waiting for them to guide them across the border to the PLA camp.

A suspected PLA cadre, Lisum Premjeet, is arrested by the Border Security Force personnel from Dawki in the Jaintia Hills District along the India-Bangladesh border. Lisum belongs to Mauang area in Imphal, capital of the neighbouring State of Manipur. One cellular phone was recovered from his possession.

A 25 year-old woman cadre of the HNLC, identified as Marbilas Syiemlieh, surrenders before the East Khasi Hills District Police in capital Shillong. She revealed that economic hardship in the HNLC camps in Bangladesh forced her to return to the mainstream. Marbilas was attached to the 'Army Wing' of the HNLC and had undergone arms training in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh since 2003. She hails from Manad village under Mawkyrwat Sub-Division in the West Khasi Hills District and is reported to have said that the HNLC is facing a serious financial crisis.

Police recover 1,720 gelatin sticks, 400 detonators and 42 pieces of fuse wire from a Dimapur-bound bus at Dhankheti in the East Khasi Hills District. Four persons claiming to be the suppliers, identified as Lalthlein Bangpui, Lelsienthan Bongpui, Nghurhming Thanga and Ricky Keviom, are arrested from the bus.

Meghalaya Police arrested another suspected person, identified as Nelia, in connection with the recovery of explosives from a Nagaland-bound bus at Dhankheti in the East Khasi Hills District on February 13. Police sources said the explosives were meant for the National Socialist Council of Nagaland militants at Dimapur in Nagaland.

February 17

Two militants of the Manipur-based PLA outfit are arrested by the Border Security Force personnel from Shella in the East Khasi Hills District. They are identified as Krishna Mohan from Thoubal District and Sushil alias Santi from Bishnupur District in Manipur.

February 19

Four PLA militants, including two female cadres, and a Bangladeshi 'transborder courier' of the outfit, are arrested by the Border Security Force personnel from Beltoli area in the East Khasi Hills District along the India-Bangladesh border. Six cell phones, two Indian SIM cards, one Bangladeshi SIM card and INR 33,160 are recovered from their possession. They later confess that they wanted to surrender.

February 21

Two ULFA cadres and four linkmen are arrested by troops during a search operation at Ronbalgiri area in the East Garo Hills District. A wireless set, 40 rounds of 9-mm ammunition and medicines are recovered from their possession.

February 22

A civilian, Kolar Suting, is shot at and injured by five suspected HNLC militants at his residence in Mawriang in the East Khasi Hills District.

March 1

Three HNLC female cadres surrender before the Superintendent of Police of Jaintia Hills District, M.K. Singh, at Dawki. They are identified as Josephine Rynjah, Kalbi Dora Snaitang and Philda Shylla. They reportedly received arms training at Chittagong in Bangladesh, and used to stay at Lamapunji and Maulwi Bazaar areas in the neighbouring country.

March 5

Two children, Thongam Noba Singh and Teson Rakesh Singh, manage to escape from the confinement of the Manipur-based PREPAK militants at Nongthymmai in the capital Shillong. They were abducted by two PREPAK militants from Thoubal District of Manipur on March 4. The militants first took the children to Guwahati in Assam in a bus. On reaching Guwahati, they hired a vehicle to travel to Shillong, the sources said. Police suspect that the two militants wanted to take the minors to Silchar in Assam.

March 10

A 'corporal' of the HNLC, identified as Kordor Lyngdoh Mawlong alias Sumar, surrenders before the Superintendent of Police of East Khasi Hills District. He reportedly joined the outfit in 2002 and underwent arms training at the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh.

March 11

Three suspected linkmen of the Pakistan's ISI are arrested by the Border Security Force personnel while trying to infiltrate near Bholaganj area in the East Khasi Hills District along the India-Bangladesh border. They are identified as Mohammed Jahangir, Mohammed Bilal and Mohammed Yunus, residents of Karachi, capital of the Sindh province in Pakistan.

March 24

Meghalaya Police neutralised 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.

March 25

One ULFA linkman, identified as Ria Marak, is arrested by the troops from Bishandagiri area under Garobada Police Station in the West Garo Hills District.

March 30

One UPDS militant, identified as Kalwin Lyngdoh (19), surrendered before the Police at Khanduli village in Jaintia Hills District. He belongs to Jrikyndeng village under Block-I area. Based on his revelation, the Jaintia Hills District Police recover one AK-56 along with three magazines and 71 rounds live ammunition hidden in a bush near Saitsama village. The Superintendent of Police of Jaintia Hills District, M.K. Singh, said Kalwin had been associated with the UPDS for five years and had completed five-month training at Bhoksong in the Karbi Anglong District of Assam.

March 31

Sentinel reported that illegal traders along the Khasi-Jaintia hills are victims of an extortion drive carried out by the HNLC. The report states that after the Police's success in curbing extortion activities of the proscribed outfit, the HNLC has now begun focusing on local traders across the India-Bangladesh border.

April 1

Meghalaya Police recover a huge quantity of explosives, including detonators and gelatin sticks, from two separate places in Jaintia Hills District. Two persons, identified as Faraj Ali alias Company from Assam and Gopal Choudhury, who are supposed to sell these explosive in Chachar District of Assam, are arrested in this connection.

Two HNLC militants, Andreas Sangma alias Bush and his wife Angelina Shylla, surrender before the Police at Shillong. Andreas along with seven others had joined the HNLC in 2001 and undergone arms training at Chittagong Hills Tract in Bangladesh. Angelina along with another girl, Rishalin Syiemlieh, joined the outfit in 2003. Angelina revealed that Rishalin and another girl from Mawlai called "Bih Rit" are still in Bangladesh.

The HNLC calls for a 24-hour general shutdown in protest against the visit of the president of the Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, to address a public meeting at Shillong, for the elections scheduled to be held in Meghalaya on April 16.

Meghalaya Police revealed that militants of the banned HNLC, who surrendered before the Security Forces without depositing any arms and ammunition, are being offered the Government's rehabilitation package. An unnamed Meghalaya Police official said the Government has laid down guidelines that only in exceptional and deserving cases militants who surrender without arms and ammunition may be considered for rehabilitation under the Government package. However, most of the recent surenderees who did not deposit arms and ammunition, the official maintains, were far from "exceptional and deserving" cases, but provided with the rehabilitation package. Only the outfit's chairman Julius K. Dorphang, who surrendered with four of his bodyguards in July 2007 without arms or ammunition, was an "exceptional case", the Police official says. The militants who surrender with at least one weapon are shifted to a transit camp and given counseling and later training on a vocation with a monthly stipend of INR 2,000 and daily perks of INR 50 as part of the rehabilitation. After three months, the surrendered activists are released and given INR 150000 in three installments over a period of six months for self-rehabilitation and joining the mainstream. "The Government policy is okay, but the militants are trying to take the money and many go back to their old ways indulging in extortion and intimidation," the Police official adds. Apart from the rehabilitation package, the Government has laid down monetary incentives for laying down arms and ammunition during surrender. Deposit of a rocket launcher fetches a militant INR 25,000, while an AK-assault rifle INR 15,000. The other incentives include INR 10,000 for a deposited carbine or SLR, INR 5,000 for a stengun and long-range wireless set. INR 3,000 each would be given for laying down .303 rifle, pistol, revolver or any other service weapon, remote control device and improvised explosive device. INR 1,000 for a rocket, short-range wireless set, explosive material and INR 500 for each grenade deposited are the other Government incentives.

Two BW militants, identified as Aten Haflongbar and Darshing Rongpi, are arrested by a Special Operation Team from a vehicle along the National Highway at Mawblei village on Assam-Meghalaya border. INR five million in cash, reportedly to be used for striking an arms deal, are recovered from their possession. Police revealed that Haflongbar was a senior BW leader, assisting the outfit in procuring arms and ammunition.

Meghalaya Police, in collaboration with the Assam Police, are launching offensive operations at Umrangso, Jaintia Hills and Karbi Anglong along the Meghalaya-Assam border to flush out BW militants. Stating that the BW is maintaining links with the ULFA, the Director General of Police in Meghalaya, Kulbir Singh, said, "Operations against the militant outfits are continuing at Umrangso by our men jointly with Assam police to flush out their presence."

Meghalaya Police recovered explosive materials planted in the residence of a person, Dominica Pala, at Thadmusem village in Jaintia Hills District.

Assam Police arrested KLNLF's self-styled chairman, Pradeep Terang alias Pongbi Dilli, from Lumpyngngad in Shillong city. Police said he had been staying in Shillong for quite sometime. One mobile set was recovered from his possession.

A senior militant of the banned HNLC, identified as Phikerlang Majaw alias San, surrenders before the East Khasi Hills District Police. He had joined the HNLC in 2002. He crossed over to Indian territory from Bangladesh after deserting the outfit's camp at Arisuma in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) area a few days ago. Phikerlang's primary job was to ride a boat, a three-hour journey, carrying food items, including rice and vegetables, to the HNLC camp from Borkhaghat market. Phikerlang said he decided to surrender after being fed up with the hardship he had to endure in the HNLC camp in CHT. He said he had stayed with HNLC leader Hep Khoit and his wife in the camp, adding that about 50 HNLC militants were still living in the camp at Arisuma under the command of one Kambes. He, however, said there were only two weapons, one AK47 and the other AK 46, in the camp. Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police of East Khasi Hills District, Claudia A. Lyngwa, said other militant groups, including the NLFT, KYKL and NDFB, had set up base in CHT area and was providing arms training to the HNLC militants.

Meghalaya Police arrested a cadre of the Bangladesh-based Achik Special Dragon Party (ASDP) outfit, identified as Subro R. Marak, from Mawpyllun village in West Khasi Hills District. Subro R. Marak, who belongs to Koraigora village of Sunamganj District in Bangladesh, was arrested while on his way to extort INR 5000000 from a non-tribal trader of the area. The outfit had reportedly made the demand for the amount long ago through a cell phone from Bangladesh. The report added that ASDP is a new outfit formed by some Garo people who are Bangladeshi nationals.

A BW militant, identified as Monjil Kemprai, is arrested by the Meghalaya Police from Ladrymbai in Jaintia Hills District, while travelling in a vehicle from Saipung to capital Shillong to take a house on rent for his leaders. He belongs to Jingdal village near Haflong in the North Cachar Hills District of Assam. Another person, Rema Darnei, whom Police suspect to be a guide, is also arrested. Police also seize INR 50000 from Monjil's possession. The Superintendent of Police of Jaintia Hills District, M.K. Singh, said Kemprai had joined the BW in 2006 and had received arms training in Nagaland.

A suspected NDFB linkman, identified as Sunil Koch, is arrested by the Border Security Force personnel from Nokchi outpost in the West Garo Hills District while trying to exfiltrate to Bangladesh.

June 11

Two ULFA militants, identified as Megha Hajong and Arun Rabha, are killed by a joint team of the Meghalaya Police and Army at Bangalpara village in West Garo Hills District. An AK-47 rifle, two Chinese grenades, three AK-rifle magazines with ammunition and some explosives are recovered from their possession. Hajong is the ‘area commander’ of the ULFA for the entire Garo Hills. Police said Hajong was involved in smuggling of arms and ammunition from Bangladesh through the Garo Hills border to Assam.