By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Acting on a tip off, a special cell of the East Khasi Hills police along with the Special Operation Team (SOT) arrested an HNLC linkman along with other six overground workers of the outfit including a woman on Thursday night.
HNLC linkman Manbhalang Jyrwa alias ‘Man’, who is believed to be a close confidant of the outfit’s publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw was arrested from his residence at Nongrim Hills.
The six overground workers have been identified as Bakmenlang Kharpuri of Mawkhar Block VI, Goldy Khongwir, Lawanbiang Dohkrut, Stadpyrkhat Langstieh of Lum Shyiap, Golf Link, Phaiborlang Donshiew of Sngithiang, Mawprem and Jolene Hazel Khongwir of Wahingdoh.
The arrested persons have been remanded in ten-day police custody.
Informing his here on Friday, East Khasi Hills SP M Kharkrang revealed that the real name of the HNLC linkman is Sulfiyan Ali Hazarika.
“He (Hazarika) was responsible for editing and publishing articles and propaganda of the HNLC. Several Facebook pages depicting the resurgence of the outfit like ‘We are back’ which was updated after the firing incident at Lumdiengjri police station and also articles in which the HNLC claimed responsibility of the act were brought out by him,” Kharkrang said while also informing that he was also tasked with the job of bringing out articles to indicate that the outfit was alive and aware of the daily events in Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
“All articles sent by Sainkupar Nongtraw are vetted and edited by him,” Kharkrang said, while adding that Hazarika also acted as both adviser and link man for the HNLC by providing inputs on all activities in the State.
The SP also informed that in 2012, the outfit’s top brass had tried to publish a souvenir but it never materialized.
Kharkrang informed that police have seized a laptop, three mobile phones, one dongle and two newspapers from the possession of the link man.
Following the arrest of the HNLC linkman, police carried out a late night operation and arrested six over ground workers who had provided shelter to members of the outfit who perpetrated the firing incident at Lumdiengjri PS and were directly involved in the attempt to hoist the HNLC flag at Student’s Field, Jaiaw.
Folowing the arrests, HNLC publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw in a Facebook update claimed that the outfit had launched an attack against police personnel at Trongpleng, Mawsynram on Friday evening.
Kharkrang, however, clarified that the incident had not occurred.