SHILLONG, March 17 — Meghalaya is preparing for a major offensive against militant outfits in the Garo Hills amidst reports of intrusion of large numbers of Assam militants into the State. A senior police official said the ongoing operations by the Meghalaya Police against militant outfits would be intensified once the Centre clears Meghalaya’s request for BSF support to flush out the extremists who have sneaked into the State from Assam.
Confessions of three arrested NDFB militants have led the police to believe that nearly 100 NDFB activists including its Chairman Ranjan Daimary and commander-in-chief Emmanual Basumatary have already sneaked into the State, for their destination in Bangladesh. Police operations are also continuing in some pockets in Ri-Bhoi district and the coal-belt areas in Jaintia Hills district like Bapung, Ladrymbai and Khliehriet.
Following the developments, security forces on the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border are maintaining top alert to thwart any move by insurgent groups to cross over into Bangladesh. Meghalaya Home Minister RG Lyngdoh today confirmed reports that the State is seeking BSF assistance to combat growing insurgency in the State specially in the Garo Hills sector since the Assembly polls were announced.
Speaking to newsmen during a conference of senior police officers of the rank of SP and above, here today Lyngdoh said the new Government would adopt a two-pronged strategy to combat insurgency in the State. The HNLC, a banned outfit operating in the Khasi Hills, have been lying low for sometime now after suffering several reverses at the hands of the police but growing insurgency in the Garo Hills where the ANVC is reigning supreme is worrying the Government.
“We will offer talks to the militants provided they desist from unlawful activities like killings, abductions and extortions”, said the Home Minister. Lyngdoh added “At the sametime, the Government would continue to exert pressure on the militants to force them to come to the negotiating table.” Appealing to the public to cooperate with the Government in its efforts at putting down militancy, Lyndoh asserted.” The society cannot just remain mute spectators when militancy is affecting the economy of the State and the entire society.”