Meghalaya: HNLC denies links to arrested suspects in IED case

The banned Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has disavowed any connection to individuals recently arrested in connection with the recovery of a 4.7 kg Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near the home of former MLA Nehlang Lyngdoh in Umsning, Meghalaya, on October 11.

Despite the HNLC’s earlier claim of responsibility for planting the device, the group now asserts that those detained are not its members.

While police have remained tight-lipped about the investigation and arrests, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who oversees the Home (Police) portfolio, confirmed that six individuals were apprehended in the case. He questioned the HNLC’s claims and called for clarity on any alleged compromises made against the indigenous community.

The HNLC "condemned" Tynsong’s remarks as “arrogant and hypocritical,” accusing the state government of fueling conflict through oppressive tactics while projecting a facade of peace. “The government claims to keep its doors open for dialogue, yet it targets innocent Hynniewtrep youth, particularly in Ri-Bhoi District, with baseless accusations of HNLC affiliations,” the outfit stated.

The HNLC alleged that the arrests are part of a deliberate campaign of “state-sponsored harassment” aimed at instilling fear and deflecting attention from the government’s failure to address pressing issues.

The group claimed that some recently released youth have been re-arrested, accusing the police of being used as “political instruments” to suppress the community’s spirit.

Dismissing the prospect of meaningful peace talks, the HNLC challenged the government to resolve the longstanding interstate and international border disputes. It cited the unresolved Them Metor issue, where promises and meetings led to repeated delays without tangible outcomes, as evidence of the government’s lack of commitment. “Such actions reveal a lack of political will and sincerity,” the outfit remarked.