In a significant development, the Union home ministry has banned the Garo National Liberation Army, a terrorist outfit of Garo Hills in Meghalaya, and declared it a terrorist outfit. The formal notification, which was sent to the state government on Wednesday, said that the Central government believes that the GNLA is involved in terrorism, therefore, exercising the powers conferred under the Section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the Central government has declared its formations and frontal organisation as terrorist organisation. The GNLA is the 36th separatist outfit in the country which has been banned by the home ministry.
Disclosing that Champion Sangma, chairman of the GNLA is in the custody of security forces in Bangladesh, authoritative security sources in the Meghalaya police told this newspaper that banning the GNLA would help security forces in launching all out drive against the outfit and its sympathisers.
Informing that self-style commander-in-chief of the outfit Sohan D. Shira managed to escape a coordinated operation of security forces on Republic Day, security sources said that their commandos could not take action against the GNLA chief to save two children who were playing outside the hideout.
Following a specific tip off, the commandos of the Meghalaya police was zeroed in on huts where GNLA commander was taking shelter inside Doroma Forest range of Garo Hills. However, spotting few women and children playing outside, the commando wanted to be sure about the presence of GNLA rebels. But in the meantime bodyguards of GNLA commander spotted them and opened fire. Pointing out that to save women and children commandos could not retaliate, security sources leading the counter-insurgency operations against the outfit asserted that they would be able to arrest the commander-in-chief of GNLA.