Even before the resumption of coal export from Garo Hills belt to Bangladesh, militant groups have already reactivated their extortion business in the region. According to Western Range Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) F D Sangma, the police have intelligence inputs that two militant outfits — Liberation A’chik Elite Force (LEAF) and A’chik National Liberation Front (ANLF) — have served extortion notices to coal exporters who would be sending coal to Bangladesh soon. Of late, members of both the militant groups have been on the run due to stepped up police operations. Some of its members have been killed in frequent encounters with police force. Sangma said that members of both the groups are now trying to regroup and start their extortion business. The coffers of both the militant outfits have almost dried up and they are trying to replenish it by extorting money from the coal exporters, he said. Nangalbibra, a coal belt in Garo Hills, has been targeted by the militant groups before. Coal exporters from Nangalbibra had to cough up large sum of money to the militants just to be able to export coal to Bangladesh. However, after police intensified operations against the two outfits, extortion from businessmen in the region dropped drastically.
