Two militants arrested in Meghalaya

Shillong, July 14 : Two separatist rebels of the Liberation A'chik Elite Force (LAEF) were arrested in Meghalaya, police said Wednesday.

The rebels, armed with a loaded Italian-made 9 mm pistol, were arrested from Wage-Asi Imbangi area in under East Garo Hills district in western Meghalaya.

They have been identified as Pijosh A. Sangma and Manosh M. Marak.

"It is a prize catch for us as they have been involved in various criminal activities," Superintendent of Police Sylvester Nongtynger told IANS.

Sources said the two men were planning to extort money from coal-laden trucks plying along national highway 62.

The LAEF, which operates in the Garo Hills regions, maintains close links with other rebels groups in the northeast including the National Socialist Council of Nagaland Isak-Muviah (NSCN-IM), United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).