SHILLONG:
Police arrested an `area commander’ of Shillong Region of the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and an accomplice on Monday in connection with Sunday’s bomb blast in Khyndailad.
The arrests led to the recovery of another improvised explosive device (IED). It was later safely defused.
Disclosing the developments, Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui told reporters one of the arrested, a juvenile, was identified and picked up hours after the incident took place at 6.30 pm on Sunday evening.
“On his confession, another live bomb was recovered and defused by the bomb squad (in Demthring area),” Rymbui said adding the other accused hailed from Nongstoin. He hoped the police would be able to break the nexus and nab all those responsible for the “cowardly act.”
East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Sylvester Nongtnger in a statement said after a few hours of the incident, based on reliable source information, one person was apprehended and detained for necessary interrogation.
“During the course of enquiry, he admitted his involvement and claimed himself to be the Area Commander of Shillong Region of the banned outfit- Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC),” he said.
He said the person led the police to the residence of his relatives from where an IED was recovered and later safely defused.
Rymbui said the police have identified all the vulnerable areas in the city as well as the state.
He also said that installation of CCTVs in some public places by the police help in identifying people intending to commit crimes.
“The use of technology does help in the new age investigation. We have to be alive to the situation and investigate and gather intelligence as per the need of the situation,” he added.
The IED, which occurred right at the entrance of the Centre Point building, damaged the wall, windowpanes and signage of shops housed in the building .
The Home minister also rejected allegations that there was an intelligence failure on the part of the police.
“If there was an intelligence failure, the police would not have been able to nab the culprits within a few hours after the incident,” he said.
Giving full credit to the police for taking swift action, Rymbui said, “I hope this will be a benchmark where the police will do more in their investigation considering the new age crime.”
“In this case, I am very happy that people are sharing information and are cooperating. That is why the police were able to move faster than in any other investigation,” he said while urging the citizens to continue to lend their support and cooperation in fighting such crimes.
Asked if the state government is still keen to pursue the Centre for holding peace talks with the HNLC, Rymbui said, “peace should return, then everything is possible.”
A case (No. 27(01)2022 U/S 120 (B)/427 IPC R/W Sec. 5 Explosive Substances Act) has been registered at the Shillong Sadar Police Station and investigation is in progress, he said.
HNLC claims responsibility for blast
The proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has claimed responsibility for triggering the blast at Khyndailad on Sunday evening and attributed the action to non-payment of “taxes” by some non-tribal traders.
“The outfit is claiming responsibility for the IED blast at Khyndailad,” HNLC general secretary-cum-publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said in a statement issued on Monday.
He claimed that the outfit had decided to execute the blast on a Sunday to ensure there was no casualty. However, unfortunately some of the CRPF personnel and another person were injured, Nongtraw said while adding that the number of people injured in the incident may go up.
The HNLC leader said that the main reason for the bomb blast was due to the failure of some non-tribal traders to pay tax to the outfit.
“This would also be a warning to all the non-tribal shop owners not to defy the outfit’s diktat otherwise they would have to face the same consequences,” he added.
Nongtraw also alleged that Khyndailad has become a colony of a particular community making it unsafe for local people to walk at night.
“Therefore, in areas where the government cannot protect our indigenous people, the HNLC will protect them,” he said.
Further, the HNLC general secretary said that the outfit will continue with its terror activities. He alleged that the government had made a big mistake by killing its own messenger, who is the former outfit leader, Cheristerfield Thangkhiew.
“This has angered the outfit so much. The person has died but the outfit will not spare those involved be it minister or be it top police officials,” he warned.