Meghalaya Timeline - 2012

January 1

Meghalaya Police in West Khasi Hills District are intensifying operations against militants and dacoit groups who have unleashed a reign of terror by serving demand notes to coal traders.

One militant belonging to HNLC, identified as Dirus Shangdiar (29), surrendered before the Mawkyrwat Police in West Khasi Hills District.

AJYWO Central Body apprehended a woman named Daphishisha Kharsati with FICN of INR 1000 and INR 500 denominations amounting to INR 32,000 from Lew Thymmai in Ladthad-laboh area in Jaintia Hills District.

Suspected GNLA militants threw a grenade at a house adjacent to the check gate of the Directorate of Mineral Resources in Athiabari in West Khasi Hills District. However, the grenade failed to explode.

SFs arrested a top KLO militant, identified as Pushma Das alias Tupan Patwari alias Pulas Barman alias Mithun Das, from Chandaboi BOP of West Garo Hills District.

SFs arrested a Bangladeshi ULFA linkman identified as Philipa Sangma (21) along with FICN worth around INR 3,000 from Gopinathkilla in the same District.

SFs arrested two GNLA linkmen, identified as, Babul Marak (36) and Vijay Sangma (28), along the Indo-Bangladesh border in South Garo Hills District. SFs recovered INR 3,800 in cash, a mobile phone with a Bangladesh SIM card and BDT 80 from them.

One GNLA militant, identified as Sonaram R Sangma alias Chonkam, surrendered before South Garo Hills SP M K Singh.

Based on GNLA militant, Sonaram R Sangma alias Chonkam Chonkam's information SFs recovered one AK-47 along with 150 rounds of live ammunition, which were hidden in a jungle in West Garo Hills District.

Shambhu Singh, Joint Secretary (North East) of the MHA, said that the MHA has already taken a decision that a major crackdown should be launched to check the menace of extortion.

Singh admitted that the situation in Manipur is still bad. He said that though the GNLA is on rampage in Meghalaya, the recent operations yielded results, while, the inter-factional clashes resulted in deterioration of the situation in Nagaland.

On the activities of the CPI-Maoist groups, Singh said that the death of senior CPI-Maoist leader Mallojula Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji must have affected the move of the Maoists to establish stronghold in the region. He said that according to information available with the Government, Kishanji visited Assam and Manipur just before his death in West Bengal.

BSF arrested three HNLC linkmen at Pyrdwah, East Khasi Hills, while they were infiltrating into India.

The troops of border outpost in Dawki, Jaintia Hills arrested a Manipuri linkman identified as Babu Patra while he was trying to cross over to India. The BSF suspects that the arrested person has links with Manipur based militants.

The BSF troops of border outpost at Beldova in West Garo Hills also arrested a Bangladeshi drug smuggler identified as Jahidur Rahaman while he was infiltrating into India from Bangladesh to collect a consignment.

Suspected Rabha tribal militants abducted the manager of a firm identified as Ganeshyam Das, working on a railway project in Meghalaya's East Garo Hills District, bordering Assam.

The Rabha Viper Army was formed with the support of Assam-based outfit, ULFA in 2008.

During the annual Home Secretary-level meet between India and Myanmar at Naypyitaw which is to take place on January 19, a joint strategy to deal with Northeast Indian militant groups, smuggling of drugs, arms and ammunition will be high on the agenda.

Two Garo youths, identified as Pak Momin and Engti Marak, were shot dead by GNLA, suspecting them to be Police informers. According to Police, the two youth hailing from Konchikol village were killed near their homes under Resubelpara Sub-Division in East Garo Hills District.

Group of seven GNLA cadres armed with AK-47 rifles and SLR rifles shot dead two gate-keeper of Songsak village, West Khasi Hills District. The two gate-keepers are identified as Arbinius D Sangma and Bahkan G Marak, both residents of Songsak village.

During the Home Secretary level meeting between the two countries Myanmar has assured India that steps would be taken against the Northeastern militants using its territory.

Myanmar has sought India's help for implementation of several road projects, which would facilitate free movement of the troops to the areas where the militants are taking shelter. Myanmar has also sought India's help in completing the trilateral highway linking India, Myanmar and Thailand.

The private firm manager, Ganeshyam Das was released by his abductors at Manikganj in East Garo Hills bordering Goalpara District of Assam. Initially it was suspected that the RVA had abducted Das. Later, police began to suspect the ULFA. East Garo Hills Police suspect that the ULFA leader Dristi Rajkhowa was directly involved in the abduction of the manager since he was given charge of operating all along the Assam-Garo Hills border.

Bhutan 'Prime Minister' Jigme Y Thinley said that there is no camp of any militant formation of the northeast in his country. He further asserted that Security Forces are on alert to thwart any such potential attempts by the militants.

A group of GNLA militants assaulted a villager and fired several rounds in the air in Mendipathar in East Garo Hills after a failed attempt to kill three ANVC cadres and their families. Police said a group of 15 armed GNLA militants came in search of the ANVC cadres - Dion G. Momin, Jangsan Momin and Milseng Momin, at their residences at Soksan village under Mendipathar Police station. After finding that the cadres and the families had already been moved out, the GNLA cadres fired several rounds in the air and also assaulted a villager, Sengrik Sangma, alleging that he was a Police informer. The militants left after warning the villagers. The motive behind the incident is yet to be known, but according to the police, the terror tactic may be because of suspicion that the ANVC cadres were helping the police to track down the GNLA militants. Another reason could be to establish supremacy in Garo hills.

Suspected GNLA militants entered the Meghalaya Energy Corporation limited (MeECL) complex at Rongkhon in West Garo Hills and abducted three engineers. They later released one of them identified as Marshal Swer. The two engineers who remain in custody of the militant group have been identified as Apus Pothmi and Boney Majaw.

The ANVC has warned that its cadres would be forced to break the ceasefire agreement and take up arms to protect themselves if the GNLA continued to target its cadres. Taking strong cognizance of the GNLA's bid to kill three ANVC cadres, its spokesperson Torik Jangning Marak said, "Situation will be worsened if the GNLA continues to target our cadres." A group of around 15 armed GNLA cadres had made a failed attempt to kill three ANVC at Soksan village under Mendipathar Police station in East Garo Hills on January 24. Marak also urged the State Government to provide security to the ANVC cadres who are currently under ceasefire agreement.

SFs acting on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of GNLA, 'Commander-in-Chief' Sohan D Shira, at a camp located in Rongri, three kilometres away from Nengmendalgre village of East Garo Hills District in Meghalaya, raided the area. But due to the presence of Sohan D Shira's wife and children, SFs did not open fire.

Setting conditions to free two abducted Government engineers, the GNLA demanded a "convincing reply" from the Meghalaya Government in seven days on the "poor power connectivity" in the three impoverished Districts of Garo Hills. Heavily armed GNLA rebels on January 23, 2012 abducted three Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MECL) engineers - Apus Pothmi, Boney Majaw and Marshal R Swer at gunpoint from their residential quarters in the Rongkhon area. Swer was later released unharmed.

"Seven days will be given to the Meghalaya Government to give us a convincing reply on the poor power connectivity in the interior areas of Garo Hills. The Government must answer why there is no power connectivity," said Sohan D Shira, the military wing chief of GNLA, adding, "If the government fails to give a convincing reply to the people of Garo Hills, we will have no option but to take another step."

Suspected GNLA militants set ablaze the house of a surrendered GNLA cadre, identified as Sonaram R Sangma, at Darangdura in South Garo Hills District. However, Sonaram was not present in the house when the incident took place.

The GNLA claimed to have killed a villager in Zikzak area of West Garo Hills for allegedly colluding with Police and working against the outfit. The GNLA area commander Ampati Rahul claimed, "We executed a villager from the village yesterday (January 27) because he was the main Police informer operating against us for so long." The militant outfit questioned the Meghalaya Police over its tactics of using villagers to work for them in lieu of compensation which is never paid to them.

A GNLA cadre identified as Waljan Ch Momin alias Sengrim hailing from Dilma Apal of East Garo Hills District, surrendered before SDPO at Mendipathar Police Station in the District.