The Centre has agreed to rush in additional forces of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police to Meghalaya to assist the State police in flushing out Garo militants.
The Meghalaya government had requested the Centre to rush five companies of the ITBP. The State and the Central governments are concerned over the spurt in insurgency-related violence.
Suspected militants of the Garo Liberation National Front had ambushed a police party, killing three personnel and wounding two others. They also snatched the weapons of the policemen. The State government announced Rs.5-lakh compensation each to the families of the slain policemen.
Two arrested
Police and Assam Rifles troopers arrested two insurgents during a joint operation in Imphal. Official reports said both were engaged in extorting illegal taxes from the shopkeepers and taxi drivers.
Bandh in Imphal East
Normal life has been affected in Jiribam sub-division in Imphal East district as a result of the 30-hour bandh called from 1 a.m. on Tuesday by the Jiribam District Demand Committee.
Shops, markets, educational institutes and government offices remained closed. All Imphal-bound trucks, buses and private vehicles were stranded. Police have stepped up security to avoid any untoward incidents.
Two abducted
In another development, Bru militants in Mizoram abducted two construction officials. Efforts are on to track down the project manager and the construction manager. Police believe that the militants had kidnapped them for a huge ransom.
