In a shocking incident, Garo National liberation Army (GNlA) militants blew off the head of a woman for resisting rape attempt by the terrorists in Meghalaya’s remote South Garo Hills district on Tuesday night. The victim has been identified as Josbina Sangma (35), a mother of four children, police said on Wednesday.
Four GNlA ultras, led by local area commander Jengjeng, broke into the woman’s house in Raja Rongat village in the district. The militants locked the husband of the victim and their four children in another room and then tried to rape her, the police added.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the militants attempted to rape her, but as she resisted their bid, the militants shot her head off with AK series rifles,” said South Garo Hills Superintendent of Police l Syiem.
“It was a brutal killing as the militants shot five to six rounds in her head,” added the SP. While condemning the incident, Meghalaya Home Minister Roshan Warjri termed it as a cold-blooded murder. He is likely to lead a team of high-ranking police officials to Garo Hills to take stock of the situation and plan action. The Meghalaya Government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh to the family of the victim.
It may be mentioned here that the village, located close to 400 kms from Shillong and along the Indo-Bangladesh border, has been bearing the brunt of militancy for last several years.
GNlA militants, who operate from the Garo Hills region of Meghalaya and parts of Assam, have stepped up rampant killing, extortion and kidnappings in Meghalaya as well as in adjoining areas of Assam.
Former lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangama, who is an MP from Meghalaya’s Tura parliamentary constituency, under which the Garo Hills region of Meghalaya falls, expressed his shock over the incident and said he would take up the issue of insecurity in Garo Hills with the Central Government.