Police launches combing operation inside National Park

Shillong, Oct 13 (UNI) Meghalaya police have launched an intensive combing operation to nab militants hiding inside the Balpakram National Park in South Garo Hills district, near the Indo-Bangla border.

Official sources said here today that hundreds of armed police personnel, with the Special Operation Team and Central Paramilitary forces, entered the park to apprehend the armed ultras.

Security agencies suspected that several militants, including those of the United Liberation Front of Assam, National Socialist Council of Nagalim(IM) and Liberation of A'chik Elite Force were inside the park.

''The combing operation has been launched following specific information about the movement of the rebels inside the park,'' Deputy Inspector General(DIG) of Police(Western Range) F D Sangma told UNI here over phone from Garo Hills.

''Our men are still on the job and we are expecting to come out with good results,'' he said. Cordon and search operations were being carried out but the task was gigantic in view of the huge size of the park and its adjoining areas, the DIG said.

Balpakram, at an altitude of nearly 3,000 feet, had been declared a National Park in 1987. It is a land of scenic beauty covering an area of 200sq km.

''It is impossible to cover every area of the park but we are doing our best by focusing on specific areas,'' a local daily, quoting a police officer who was part of the operation said.

Earlier, Northeast-based militants belonging to various groups had used the park for setting up training camps and also as a safe haven.

UNI