Shillong, June 6: The Meghalaya government today said “new strategies” were in the pipeline to combat militancy, which had undergone resurgence in the Garo hills.
Addressing reporters here, two days after three policemen were gunned down by suspected militants in Tapa Darengchi near Mendipathar in East Garo Hills, home minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh said, “We are going to rework our strategies to combat insurgent groups in the region.”
Lyngdoh said the government has deputed the additional director-general of police (law and order), Rajiv Mehta, to the headquarters of the 2nd Meghalaya Police Battalion, located at Goeragre near Tura, West Garo Hills district, to devise strategies to take on the militants. Saying that patrolling would be intensified in vulnerable areas of East Garo Hills, the home minister said 15 platoons of Meghalaya police have been deployed as part of the operations to flush out the rebels. He said another six platoons of the CRPF and three platoons of the state police have been kept on standby.
“Combing operations are still on in East Garo Hills and we are hopeful that results will be produced within a few days,” Lyngdoh said. Asked whether the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) was behind Saturday’s incident, Lyngdoh said, “We cannot rule out the involvement of the GNLA. At the same time, we are trying to ascertain which group was responsible.”On the demand of the state from the Centre to deploy five companies of Indo-Tibetan Border Police in Garo hills to counter militant groups, Lyngdoh said the Union home ministry was yet to give a positive respond. “We will wait for a few more days and if nothing materialises, I will be going to Delhi to meet Union home ministry officials to discuss the matter,” Lyngdoh said. The government has advised the police not to use Tata Sumo vehicles or any other vehicle requisitioned from the people while patrolling.The state government appeared to have learnt a lesson from Saturday’s incident as the five policemen who were attacked had used a maroon Tata Sumo to patrol the area.“Open vehicles should be used as it will help policemen retaliate in case they come under attack,” Lyngdoh said.
Suspected GNLA militants ambushed the vehicle carrying five policemen at Tapa Darengchi, about 12km from Mendipathar. Havildar Blein Makhroh and battalion constables Duke M. Sangma and Johnhighbirth Marak, died while constables G.G. Momin and M. Rymbai were injured.
The home minister said ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh would be given to the next of kin of the deceased while the injured would be provided free medical treatment.
