HNLC claims responsibility for Laitumkhrah-Shillong IED blast incident

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 10, 2021

The banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has claimed responsibility for planting an improvised explosive device (IED) blast at Laitumkhrah market on Tuesday afternoon.

“The outfit is claiming responsibility for the IED blast at Laitumkhrah market,” HNLC general secretary cum publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said in a statement issued hours after the incident.

He said the decision to execute such blast was the fact that the people of this region have defied the bandhs called by the HNLC from time to time adding moreover, the High Court has also deemed illegal the protests through bandhs called by the HNLC and other NGOs.

“Therefore, we urge the High Court to scrap such order failing which something worse may happen in public places from now onwards and we will not be responsible for it,” Nongtraw said.

Further, the HNLC has also threatened media houses who refused to publish their press releases related to calling bandhs.

“The role of the media is to be neutral but if they continue to succumb to the order of the High Court or the government that means they are no longer independent and we will have to take them as our enemy,” Nongtraw stated.

On the other hand, the leader of the outfit said that the HNLC is ever ready to execute similar blasts in any targeted location and the police department cannot do anything to stop it whether during day time or night time.

“When we executed an IED blast at the police reserve, the SP of that district (East Jaintia Hills) had stated that it was an act of cowardice and that we were taking advantage of heavy rainfall and night time – that means what we did today during day time was bravery…please don’t provoke us. All this while we tried to execute during night time to avoid movement of the people but today we were compelled to do it during day time,” Nongtraw said.

“Any senior police officer who talks whatever they feel like will have to take full responsibility if we start showing power again,” he added.

Meanwhile, the HNLC also expressed regrets that some of the people were injured during the IED blast incident.