Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Tuesday said the arrest of Champion R Sangma, the rebel chief of Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) was a sustained efforts of the Indian and Bangladesh government activities.

Champion, whose outfit is fighting for a separate Garoland in western part of Meghalaya, was arrested Monday from Umkrem Pyrwdiwah area near the India- Bangladesh border in Meghalaya after he pushed back by Bangladesh authorities.

“The arrest of Champion is the result of sustain efforts of both the governments (India and Bangladesh) to eradicate the menace of insurgency, terrorism and militancy from our soil,” Sangma said.

“We are hopeful of similar positive result in the near future to ensure peace in both the countries,” he added.
The GNLA supremo is wanted by police for masterminding several crimes, including killings and extortion in insurgency-ravaged Garo Hills in western Meghalaya.

In fact, Champion had been arrested by police in Bangladesh in November 2010 for entering Bangladesh illegally. Sangma said the Indian government would continue to engage with neighbouring countries to flush out northeast rebels who are taking shelter in their territory.

“Our Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) himself led a delegation to Bangladesh as a follow action to various which it is trying to address the important issues and these actions are the sustain efforts of this government to ensure peace and normalcy in the country,” the Chief Minister said.

“It is a prize catch for Meghalaya Police and we are hopeful with his arrest we will be able to unravel the ins and outs of the GNLA,” state police chief N. Ramachandran told IANS.

However, the Meghalaya police chief said it was not clear if the rebel leader was pushed back into India like other top separatist rebels of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).

“We have not interrogated him and we don’t know whether he was pushed back but we arrested him from the area based on intelligence about his presence in the area,” Ramachandran said.

Champion, a former deputy superintendent of police, deserted the police force and floated the GNLA in November 2009.
The outfit, which had been outlawed by the Indian government, forged an operational alliance with the ULFA and the NDFB, which provided it access to sophisticated arms and ammunition, and enabled it to unleash a reign of terror in the three impoverished districts of Garo Hills.

It also forged an alliance with the Bangladesh-based rebel group, A’chik Special Dragon Party.
Over 35 people, including security personnel, have been killed in the Garo Hills in the last one year by GNLA rebels, who number around 100.