Meghalaya's most-wanted terrorist Sohan D Shira shot dead in police encounter

Photo: Youtube grab

SHILLONG: Meghalaya's most-wanted terrorist was on Saturday shot dead by security forces in an encounter in East Garo Hills district. The self-styled chief of the outlawed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) Sohan D Shira carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head. 

The encounter took place after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate Jonathone N Sangma was killed in an IED attack on February 18. The bomb blast was suspected to have been done at the behest of the GNLA in the same district.

The encounter took place around 11 am in Achakpek village near Dobu.

After Sangma's death, the security forces had launched counter-insurgency operations in the poll-bound South and East Garo Hills districts. It was on receving inputs regarding probable movement of some armed GNLA cadre in Dobu area that counter-insurgency forces were pressed into service, a senior police officer involved in the operations told news agency press trust of India.

East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Kumar said inquest on the body of the slain terrorist was underway and necessary formalities will follow.

Meghalaya Police had earlier in the week said that a probe was underway to nab those accuse of the death of Sangma. "There are credible leads that are being obtained about the involvement of the group (GNLA) in Sunday night's carnage (Sangma's killing)," Meghalaya Director General of Police S B Singh had said.

NCP candidate Jonathone N Sangma and three others were killed in a bomb blast triggered by terrorists in the Samanda area of East Garo Hills district around 8 pm on February 18. 

(With PTI inputs)