SHILLONG: The arrested HNLC cadre Phyrnai Swer alias Pastor, and his associate, Nand Kishore Thakur were engaging in several business activities in the State, according to police.
“Phyrnai owns a petrol pump in Jaintia Hills besides carrying out other business activities and his associate Kishore helps him in his business ventures”, East Khasi Hills SP, M Kharkrang told reporters recently.
Police also recovered an EPCI which does not belong to Phyrnai and investigation is on as to how the militant leader procured the card.
Both Phyrnai and Kishore were arrested by Kolkata police from Kalikapur area in West Bengal on April 1.
Police in fact was searching for Phyrnai after he escaped from NEIGRIHMS on July 17 last year.
Two police constables, Meytush Sangma and Sanborlang Shylla were arrested after the cadre’s escape from the hospital.
It was on January 24 last year that the police from Jaintia Hills arrested Phyrnai from Iawmusiang, Jowai. The cadre, who was holding the rank of lieutenant in HNLC was arrested from his wife’s residence after he sneaked into Jaintia Hills from Bangladesh.
There were reports that Phyrnai, who was a former police constable was the self styled Chairman of the now defunct outfit, Retrieval Indigenous United Front. The Front was neutralized after the arrest of Phyrnai and others.
The duo arrested from Kolkata by West Bengal police was termed as a big catch for Meghalaya police since the two arrested persons are suspected to have gone to Kolkata to escape the Meghalaya Police and find customers to sell their weapons and fake notes.
The weapons were mainly of Chinese make and the fake notes outsourced from China, Police sources informed earlier adding both are wanted in several cases of terror acts lodged in two police stations – Laitumkhrah and Rynjah – in Meghalaya.