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GNLA role suspected in Tura blast

By Correspondent

TURA, Oct 19 � The Garo Hills police have indicated a very strong possibility of the new outfit, Garo National Liberation Army, being involved in the recent bomb attack in the heart of Tura Market that led to four persons sustaining injuries.

Police sources in Tura, district headquarters of West Garo Hills, informed that several leads have been established over the role of the new outfit which is led by a dismissed Deputy Superintendent of Police, Champion R Sangma and former hardcore ANVC militant leader Sohan D Shira as the army chief.

�Two persons having links to the outfit were spotted in Tura on the day of the blast and intelligence agencies have intercepted phone calls with congratulatory notes by suspected members of the outfit,� revealed the source.

Following the blast a high level review meeting was held at Tura recently which was chaired by the State�s additional director general of police, Rajiv Mehta, IPS. The meeting was attended by the district SP, DIG and other police officials.

The meeting reviewed the law and order situation here and contingency plans to meet any eventuality. The ongoing operations to flush out militants and those involved in the Tura blast were also discussed, it is learnt.

It is believed that the plan of the GNLA to conduct a low intensity blast was primarily aimed to create a fear psychosis among the business comunity of the town in preparation to serve their demand notes for extorting money.

The outfit has gone on a massive extortion drive in the coal rich East Garo Hills district targetting both the business community and the government officials serving in the district. Money to the tune of several lakh of rupees have been demanded from each of the victims.

The family of Robinus Syngkon, District Transport Officer, who was kidnapped by GNLA militants sometime ago has reportedly been served with a demand note of Rs 60 lakh.

In the Tura blast the militants used gun powder infused with ball bearings and lead fillings and a detonator since no fuse wire remains have ben found at the place of incident.

Investigation also revealed that the militants threw the bomb before speeding away in an auto rickshaw with false number plates.

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