Sohan D Shira, the 'commander-in-chief', of the Garo National Liberation Army
The Garo National Liberation Army or GNLA, a militant outfit active in the Garo Hills area of Meghalaya, has horrified the entire nation by the gruesome act committed by some of its ultras recently. (
Meghalaya: Militants Who Brutally Killed Woman Escape After Gun Battle)
Some militants from the outfit allegedly shot a woman through her head, after accusing her of being a police informer and for resisting an attempt to molest her, in a remote village of the state's South Garo Hills district on Tuesday.
The GNLA, formed in 2009, was declared a terror organisation by the Centre in January 2012. It is allegedly involved in several cases of murder, kidnapping and extortion in all three Garo Hills districts in Meghalaya.
The militant outfit was formed by a former policemen.
Pakchara R Sangma alias Champion R Sangma, a former Deputy Superintendent of Police, had started the militant outfit after he deserted the police force.
Today, he is the self-proclaimed 'chairman' of the outfit while Sohan D Shira is considered the 'commander-in-chief'.
It is a banned organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and all activities of the GNLA are treated as terrorist acts under the law.
The group claims to be fighting for a 'sovereign Garoland' in the western areas of Meghalaya.
Though GNLA's operations were earlier concentrated in East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills, it has now started to expand its network to the coal-rich region of West Khasi Hills which border South Garo Hills.
Dorengchigre village, located in East Garo Hills District, is considered to be heartland of the GNLA's activities.