In what might help the security agencies operating in troubled Garo Hills region of Meghalaya, senior cadre of Garo Hills Based militant outfit, Garo National liberation Army (GNlA), Baichung alias Nikam Ch Momin surrendered before the police on Friday.
The top ranking leader of the outfit—who used to be the second in command in the hierarchy after outfit’s Commander-in-Chief Sohan D Shira—surrendered before Superintendent of Police of the South Garo Hills district at Baghmara on Friday. The militant also laid down one 5.56 X 45 HK-33 Rifle, 120 Rounds live ammunition, one magazine, two mobile phones etc.
“Baichung surrendered at Chokpot Police station today. It is a great success for us and we hope his surrender will weaken the outfit to a large extent. We also hope to get vital information about the outfit and its other top leaders,” said South Garo Hills SP, Anand Mishra.
He said that the surrender of Baichung came after he survived many encounters, recently one in Dabalgre area where two of his accomplices were killed. “The police had recently seized huge amount of funds generated by Baichung. We have also froze two accounts belonging to Baichung, where he parked extortion money,” the SP said.
“The surrendered militant told us that Sohan D Shita is running the organisation like dictator and he is more into saving and investing the money collected by the cadres through extortion. We are also told that Shira is running the organisation like family business with his wife Sengachi Momin and some of her relatives,” he said, adding that he decided to surrender as he felt there was threat to him from Shira and handful of his followers.
It may be mentioned here that the Garo hills region of Meghalaya has been in news for last several years for killing and abduction carried out by militant outfits like the ASAK and the Garo National liberation Army (GNlA). According to official records, between January, 2015 and October 31, 2015 the insurgents of Garo Hills have abducted a total of 87 persons for ransom including 25 civilians, 27 businessmen, 25 employees of private Sector, five Government employees and five teachers.
It is for these statistics that the Meghalaya High Court has asked the Centre bring the Garo Hills region of Meghalaya under the purview of Armed Forces Special Powers’ Act last year. The court has also directed the Principal Secretary in the office of the Prime Minister to place this order before the Prime Minister for perusal and consideration