PLF-M extortion racket busted

TURA, January 18: The West Garo Hills police have achieved another success by busting a large extortion racket of the People's Liberation Front-Meghalaya, (PLF-M) with the arrest of a senior cadre of the outfit from Dalu area on Monday evening. Acting on a tip-off, the Dalu police raided the house of one Chapalsing Marak of Upper Bamunpara, under Dalu police station, on Monday evening and recovered from his possession one country-made pistol, ten rounds of live AR-47 ammunition and ten extortion letters, each demanding a sum of Rs 2 lakh from all the major coal exporters located mostly in Gasuapara, South Garo Hills. The letters signed by the area commander of the outfit, one LK Sangma, and approved by Vincent Sangma, president of the outfit, claimed that in the previous years also the exporters had failed to pay up resulting in the letter being issued to them once again. The notice was served by the 'home ministry' of the outfit and the terms and conditions stated that the outfit would not accept any form instalment payment. The date of payment is February 15 with the venue to be notified on February 14. The letter which was signed on December 12, carried a warning of kidnapping in case payment was not done. Speaking to The Assam Tribune, the Superintendent of Police, West Garo Hills, BR Rana, said that the seizure was the result of information which has been gathered over a period of time as intelligence reports had indicated.