Sohan Shira, Meghalaya Police’s most wanted Garo National Liberation Army chief, was shot dead today in an encounter operation led by Meghalaya Police in Dobu Agalgre of East Garo Hills. Shira was believed to be involved in the killing of NCP candidate for Willimanagar, Jonathone N Sangma, on February 18.
In a big achievement for the police forces, Sohan was shot dead at around 11:50 am at Dobu A’chakpek during a joint encounter with the Garo Hills Police and Meghalaya’s Special Force-10 commandos.
The GNLA was formed by Sohan D Shira and Champion Sangma in 2009. They launched the outfit, originally to fight for a ‘sovereign Garoland’ in western areas of Meghalaya. However, slowly, it turned into a terror outfit with many instances of killings, abduction, extortion, bomb blasts and attacks on security forces.
Champion Sangma, who was a DySP of Meghalaya Police, later returned to the mainstream.