Shillong, Dec. 18: Nine cadres of the A'chik Matgrik Elite Force (AMEF), a militant outfit operating in Meghalaya's Garo hills region, surrendered today, purportedly bringing the curtains down on the armed group.

The cadres surrendered before East Garo Hills superintendent of police Davis N.R. Marak at Rongjeng police station.

"This (the surrender) was after Rongjeng police had an exchange of fire with AMEF cadres at Nongshram yesterday in which one of the AMEF cadres received bullet injuries," inspector-general of police (operations) G.H.P. Raju said.

Raju said that three of the surrendered cadres - Matchang, Cheang and Sakrem - were present during the exchange of fire yesterday. The remaining surrendered cadres were in a nearby house, he added.

"This morning, the cadres contacted the village elder of Nongshram and expressed their desire to surrender. The village elder, in turn, contacted members of the United Christian Peace Forum (UCPF) at Rongjeng who facilitated their surrender at Rongjeng police station," Raju said.

The surrendered cadres have been identified as Tiangsil G. Momin alias Cheang, 25 and Bimbu R. Marak, 22, from North Garo Hills, Kevin M. Sangma, 22, from East Garo Hills, Sanjay K. Sangma, 20, from West Khasi Hills, Gentle M. Sangma, 27 and Milith K. Sangma, 20, from South Garo Hills, Winder Ch. Marak alias Matchang, 26, Zeanjevith B. Sangma, 19 and Molit Ch. Marak alias Sakrem, 21, from West Garo Hills.

Raju said the surrendered cadres deposited one SLR, one SBBL, 7 pistols, 12 rounds of 7.65mm, three rounds of 9mm, 10 rounds of .303, five live and three empty 12 bore rounds, one dagger and a copy of the constitution of AMEF.

"The surrendered cadres revealed that they were the remaining members of AMEF after the surrender of their chairman and commander-in-chief. They also claimed that with today's surrender, the AMEF, as an organisation, would cease to exist," Raju added.

The self-styled "chairman" of the AMEF along with its "commander-in-chief" had surrendered with arms before Meghalaya director-general of police Rajiv Mehta on December 9.

AMEF, which had planned a tie-up with NSCN (K), was formed in August 2014 by Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) deserter and a former self-styled finance secretary of the A'chik Songna An'pachakgipa Kotok (ASAK), Jack Marak, along with Jakrika Matgrik alias Goran A. Sangma and 16 others.

After Jack was killed in an encounter with the police on May 1, 2015, Timudh D. Marak alias Chijong took over as the new self-styled "commander-in-chief" of AMEF while Sengjan N. Arengh alias Spec became the self-styled "chairman".

Both Sengjan, 30, and Timudh, 36, along with another cadre had surrendered on December 9 here.

When he surrendered, Sengjan, who belonged to the "original" AMEF had said the outfit was divided into three factions.