Tura, Sept. 25: Meghalaya police today disclosed that members of a particular community in neighbouring Assam had joined the rebel groups of Garo hills to help them spot and trap traders.

Releasing a photo of Alendro Momin, alias Ali, North Garo Hills superintendent of police Ramesh Singh said, "The Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) is recruiting criminals like Ali in their outfit who act as spotters and pass on the information of businessmen to the rebel group and other criminal gangs involved in abduction."

Singh added that many spotters from that particular community had been working in close coordination with the rebel outfits. The spotters lure businessmen from Mancachar and Goalpara to trade in Garo hills and develop a good rapport with them, he said.

"The traders share their business plan with the spotters and travel to Garo hills. Getting the information, the spotters relay it to the rebel outfits, which then orchestrate the abduction," Singh added. Many traders from Assam frequently visit Garo hills to trade in bamboo, ginger, timber, betelnuts and other items.

Singh said once the family members of the abducted traders pay the ransom, the spotters in the rebel outfit collect their share.

Inspector-general of police (operations), G.H.P. Raju said, "Family members of the abducted traders seldom report to the police. This emboldens the criminals and abductions continue unabated."

Raju added that Ali, who had stolen a self-loading rifle (SLR) from the police camp at Thapa Darengchi in the North Garo Hills last year, was working as a cook in the camp. "We later got leads that he has joined the GNLA. He is a hardcore criminal," he said.

Raju said currently three businessmen from Assam's Goalpara were being held captive by the GNLA.

"Family members of the traders refuse to meet police or come forward to lodge complaints," he said.

The police said the spotter was working in close association with GNLA commander Philiport. Asked why the outfit has recruited the non-Garos, Raju said, "They are very useful for the outfit as they can lure members of a particular community. They also help the outfit procure arms and ammunition from Assam."

"The GNLA is a bunch of criminals. They need other criminals to perpetrate their crimes," Raju added.

In the past six months, more than 20 people from Mancachar and its adjoining areas were abducted, while some were killed in Garo hills. There have been several protests in Mancachar, seeking government intervention to curb insurgency in the region. In June, Hafizur Rahman, a resident of Assam's South Salmara was arrested in South West Garo Hills for his links with a rebel outfit.

He was involved with a gang operating in South West Garo Hills and Mancachar area.

The police said Rahman had befriended the traders from Assam and passed information to the rebel outfit about their movements.

There have been several cases of abduction where the police claimed that members of a particular community had been aiding the rebels.