Shillong: Meghalaya Police neutralised four suspected members of an armed criminal gang during a major early-morning operation near Songsak in East Garo Hills district on Sunday, August 30, officials said. The encounter took place at around 4 am after police received specific intelligence inputs about the movement of the gang in the forested area.
According to police sources, the gang has been active along the Assam-Meghalaya border and is suspected to be involved in a series of criminal cases reported in recent months across both states. The operation was launched after surveillance confirmed their presence near Songsak, a remote area that has seen increased criminal activity. Security forces cordoned off the area before engaging the suspects.
Police are now probing a possible link between the neutralised gang and the recent murder of a businessman at Damra Bazaar in Assam’s Goalpara district. The brutal killing had triggered public outrage in the region. Investigators are trying to establish whether the four deceased were directly involved in that case and in other incidents of extortion and armed robbery reported from the border belt.
Soon after the operation, forensic teams and senior officers reached the spot to begin a detailed investigation. The area was sealed and evidence, including arms and other materials allegedly recovered from the gang, is being collected and examined. Police said forensic analysis will help establish the sequence of events and confirm the identities of the deceased and their criminal background.
The identities of the four suspects killed in the encounter have not been officially disclosed yet, as verification is still underway. Officials said more details about the cases associated with the gang will be shared after preliminary investigation and post-mortem formalities are completed. No police casualties were reported in the operation.
The operation comes at a time when security has been tightened across the Garo Hills region following a rise in inter-state crimes. Police officials said further combing operations will continue in the area and appealed to the public to share any information related to such gangs. Further details are awaited as the investigation progresses.
