Over 30 HNLC overground workers identified: Police

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 13, 2021

Director General of Police R Chandranathan on Friday said police have identified over 30 overground workers of the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).

Chandranathan told reporters that the outfit is now left with only 16 cadres in Bangladesh.

“Here (in the state) they have overground workers and we have identified some 30 of them,” he said.

The DGP also revealed that the HNLC was also using delinquent elements like drug addicts for their activities.

“We noticed in the Khliehriat (IED blast) incident, the boys who were arrested, of course most of them were overground cadres but one of them Ranjit Kumar, the boy who lit the fuse, was a drug addict,” he said.  

“They (HNLC) are also employing delinquent elements like this so it is not that they got cadres who are doing everything, no. We feel it is a serious matter…,” he added.

Whether overground workers pose serious threat to the state, Chandranathan said, “We are trying our level best to address (the issue) as the problem starts when somebody makes a bomb and tries to place it in public places and all then it is not very easy for the police then it is not just the responsibility of the police alone it is the responsibility of the community also and it is responsibility of everybody.”

On the other hand, the top police official said that the HNLC is not working with any other militant outfits.

Regarding the issue of demand notes served to big business people, the DGP however said it is a matter of investigation but a number of them (victims) are cooperating with the police and protection is being given whenever required.