Seven persons including two surrendered rebels of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) were arrested by Meghalaya police from a locality in Shillong on Monday.
Acting on a tip-off, police apprehended two surrendered rebels of the NDFB – Bipul Narzary and Khumtha Daimary - and five extortionists from three different locations in Polo and Nongmyngson in the early hours and seized a 9 mm pistol from them, a police official said.
A demand note, found in their possession, indicated that they were on an extortion mission in the state capital.
The arrests came barely two days after DGP SK Kakati had admitted the presence of NDFB militants in the jungles bordering Assam.
The Meghalaya Police had been coordinating with Assam counterparts to flush out the rebels who had set up bases in the state following a crackdown in the neighbouring state.