GUWAHATI, May 12 — Armed militants struck twice in the heart of Haflong town of North Cachar Hill district today killing two persons in broad daylight including a son of State Hill Areas Development Minister Gobinda Chandra Langthasa and an employee of the Divisional Forest Office (DFO). Police sources here informed that suspected Hmar militants coming in an autorickshaw opened fire at Narmendu Langthasa who was travelling in his car along with his wife to fetch his daughter from a convent school in Haflong town, killing him on the spot while his wife had a narrow escape.
The slain Narmendu is the son of Gobinda Chandra Langthasa and brother of the Chief Executive member of NC Hills Autonomous Council, Purnendu Langthasa. The incident occurred barely one hour after the killing of an employee of the Divisional Forest Office (DFO) by suspected Dimasa ultras armed with sophisticated weapons. The militants stormed into the DFO office and shot dead the employee L Tuolor, a prominent leader of the minority Hmar community.
Meanwhile CRPF personnel posted in Haflong town recovered three country-made guns three country-made bombs, eight swords and several iron rods from the autorickshaw used in the killing of Narmendu Langthasa. Police sources here informed that while Hmar militants in NC Hills are armed with crude weapons, the Dimasa ultras are known to posses a sophisticated weaponry. The sources did not rule out that the killing of the Minister’s son might have been a retaliation of the killing of the Hmar leader, the DFO office employee.
The Langhthasas who belong to Dimasa community, are the most prominent political family in NC Hills. The Hill Areas Development Minister Gobinda Chandra Langthasa along with senior police officials were air dashed to Haflong following the killing of his son. The district administration in NC Hills clamped curfew in Haflong areas in the wake of killings today.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has condemned the brutal killing of Narmendu Langthasa and an employee of the DFO office by extremists at Haflong today. The Chief Minister who is now in New Delhi, stated that the Government would not tolerate such indiscriminate killing of citizens. He directed the district administration in NC Hills and the State police to launch vigorous search operation to track down the culprits.