SHILLONG, JUNE 11: Ri Bhoi Police on Tuesday busted a sleeper cell of the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and arrested three individuals including a senior cadre of the outfit. The arrest tri was sent to court where they were granted 10 days of Police custody.
The arrest was made in light of recent serving of multiple demand notes to several individuals where these people were threatened to pay the extortion amount or to face the dire consequences.
The trio arrested have been identified as Cyfrank Paul Pariat (25), who was heading the sleeper cell as senior cadre of HNLC, Kitbok Mujai (23) and Barnabas Lyngdoh (49), Ri Bhoi SP Jagpal Singh Dhanoa said in a statement.
In a press statement, Police said, in the light of recent serving of extortion/demand notes to several individuals, the Ri Bhoi police has managed to bust a sleeper cell of the banned HNLC operating in Mawhati-Umroi of Ri Bhoi District and Shillong city.
The sleeper Cell of HNLC was headed by the senior HNLC cadre Cyfrank Paul Pariat of Ummat village. He alongside his gang members served multiple demand notes on behalf of the HNLC and threatened several individuals to pay the extortion amount or to face the dire consequences.
Accordingly, a joint operation was launched on June 10 by special team of Police Headquarters and Ri Bhoi DEF and arrested the HNLC members.
“all three arrested persons were involved in recruitment, financing and propaganda for banned HNLC under UAP Act and had gone to Bangladesh last year to take training,” Dhanoa said.
In this regard, a case has been registered and further investigation is on to unearth linkages of more individuals who may be members/associates of HNLC, he said.
The SP also said, “It’s a general appeal to the public to not succumb to illegal demands of HNLC and bring any illegal contact or demand into notice of Police.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister incharge Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday said the law will take action against illegal activities by the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).
Speaking to reporters, Tynsong said, “The law will take its own course not only for HNLC but anybody for any criminal activities (committed).”
He also appealed to the HNLC to stop all its criminal activities and come back for peace talks. “…my only appeal to any concerned let us not continue committing any illegal activities or criminal activities and come forward and work together with the government and everybody for the safety and growth of the state of Meghalaya as a whole.”
Tynsong said, “In fact, we have already clearly requested all the citizens of the state, whoever in case if they received demand notes or received threat or whatever in any form to kindly inform to the police force so that action can be taken immediately.”
Asked, the deputy CM said that the government is very clear that it is totally against any criminal activities.
Tynsong said, “On the other hand, I still appeal, I still say again and again that the door for negotiation, for discussion across the table like we have done before, is still open for the members of the HNLC. So once again I would like to request all of them to come back for talks and let us sit down across the table like we have already started so why not we also continue the talk till the end.”