Northeast Desk, 15th March: The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), a banned insurgent group operating in Meghalaya, has admitted to orchestrating the IED blast near Shillong’s contentious Punjabi Lane on March 9. The group issued a stern warning to the state government, demanding the relocation of settlers from the area within a month.
HNLC’s General Secretary, Saińkupar Nongtraw, voiced the group’s frustration over the government’s alleged negligence in relocating the Harijan community from the region, prompting them to resort to military tactics. He cautioned of a potential civil war if the government fails to safeguard their community’s interests.
The blast resulted in one injury and was carried out by unidentified assailants. The local Khasi community has persistently advocated for the resettlement of residents from the Harijan Colony in Shillong.
In a related development on March 14, significant quantities of arms and ammunition purportedly linked to the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) were confiscated in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district, as per local police reports. The seizures followed the arrest of four individuals associated with the outfit in connection with the IED blast in the disputed Punjabi Lane area of Shillong. Superintendent of Police Jagpal Dhanoa Singh confirmed the recovery of firearms, gelatin sticks, detonators, ignition fuses, and HNLC insignia during the operation in Ri-Bhoi district.
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