GNLA ambushes SP's convoy in Meghalaya

Shillong, Feb 22 : An SP ranked officer and other police officials and commandos had a narrow escape today when cadres of the insurgent outfit, Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) ambushed them in East Garo Hills district, the police said. East Garo Hills Superintendent of Police JFK Marak and top district police including CRPF and commandos were going to Tura for an inspection, when the incident occurred at Samanda, a forested area. The sources said GNLA cadres fired at the policemen who retaliated following which the insurgents fled from the spot, about 10 km from Tura, to the dense forest. However, nobody was injured in the exchange of fire, the sources said. Deemed as a terrorist outfit last month by the Centre, the GNLA is carrying out extortion in the impoverished Garo hills region. The outfit, led by a police deserter, Champion Sangma, had also carried out a number of kidnappings over the last few months and slapped extortion demands on traders and government officials besides killing security personnel and labourers. Meghalaya government had requisitioned CRPF's CoBRA team and Meghalaya Police SWAT commandos to deal with the GNLA.