Rebels try to extort Rs.5 lakh from Meghalaya lawmaker

Shillong, May 14 (IANS) The outlawed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) have threatened to kill Meghalaya Congress legislator Limison D. Sangma if he fails to pay Rs.5 lakh extortion money, police said Tuesday.

“We have been informed that Sangma has received an extortion note in the form of a text message. We are looking into it,” said Director General of Police Prem Singh.

Sangma told IANS: “I have received a number of text messages from the GNLA asking me to contribute Rs.5 lakh to the outfit or else they will kidnap and kill me.”

“They (GNLA) made similar extortion demands earlier also but I did not pay heed,” the legislator said.

Intelligence officials said the outlawed GNLA had slapped extortion demands ranging from Rs.5 lakh to Rs.1 crore on petrol vend owners, coal dealers and businessmen in the coal-rich districts of Garo Hills.

On Monday, police arrested coal dealer Uttam Marak for attempting to handover Rs.3.85 lakh to a GNLA rebel at a school playground in South Garo Hills district, bordering Bangladesh.

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