TURA, Nov 7 - The proscribed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) on Saturday denied allegations of the outfit�s hand in the kidnapping of a police head constable and trader from Assam. The two were kidnapped at about 6.30 am Friday when they were travelling in a vehicle from Mendipathar to Songsak.
While the trader is yet to be identified, the head constable, who is suspected to have been killed by the militants, has been identified as havildar, Khomraj Bhattarai.
In a release by its joint publicity secretary, Garo Mandei Marak, the outfit denied all allegations made by the police.
�There are hundreds of different criminal groups and gangs operating in the Garo Hills region that are involved and responsible for abduction, extortion, dacoity and murder. Neither GNLA nor our C-In-C, SD Shira has directed or is responsible for the abduction of the battalion head constable Khomraj Bhattarai and the other civilian as claimed by the Meghalaya Police Department�, said Marak.
�Our C-in-C always discusses issues or operations with the military affairs committee of the GNLA. The police department should think 10 times and investigate the matters thoroughly before holding responsible to any individual or groups,� added Marak.
�How can the police be so irresponsible to only blame and point their fingers at GNLA? If GNLA is committed to abduct or execute police personnel, then there would have been many easy chances to those who come to visit their family and loved ones in remote villages. We never tried to bring any harm to those police personnel either to their families without any reason,� claimed the outfit.
