Shillong, July 15: A villager was arrested today from Meghalaya’s East Garo Hills district for allegedly providing shelter to Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) militants.

Acting on specific information about the presence of militants at Songmegap village, East Garo Hills, police launched an operation last night. “Around 5 this morning, an encounter took place at the village, but the GNLA cadres escaped. The police had to restrain themselves because of the presence of villagers,” an official from East Garo Hills said.

The official also said the GNLA group was led by Laben alias Chenang. After the encounter, which had no casualties on either side, the police recovered some documents from the place.

“Walton Sangma, owner of the house where the militants took shelter, was arrested,” the official added.

Former Meghalaya deputy superintendent of police Champion R. Sangma, who, sources said, is languishing in a Bangladesh jail, is the official leader of the GNLA and commander-in-chief Sohan D. Shira, is the other leader of the outfit.

The Centre declared the outfit a terrorist organisation earlier this year.