HNLC link

SHILLONG: East Khasi Hills police have arrested HANM president Lamphrang Kharbani for his alleged links with the banned rebel outfit HNLC.

Kharbani and four others arrested from Rangthong village, South West Khasi Hills when they were on their way to Shillong on Friday.

“We had specific input that Kharbani recently had gone to Bangladesh to meet the top leaders of the HNLC,” police sources said.

It is also revealed that among those arrested along with Kharbani, one was a former member of the banned outfit.

All of them were produced in a court on Saturday. The court, meanwhile, remanded them in five-day police custody.

When contacted, a senior police official informed said that the SWAT commando, they had been keeping an eye on the movement of Kharbani for quite some time, finally made the arrest.

“All the arrested are having links with HNLC. We have also seized some demand notes along with the letter heads of the banned outfit,” a senior police official said.

Replying to a query, the senior police also informed that the HANM president was helping the outfit in various ways including by generating fund for the council.

He said that Kharbani along with four others are currently in kept at Mawkyrwat police station. They will be brought to Shillong on Sunday.

The HANM president was arrested earlier on two occasions for illegal possession of arms.

Kharbani had unsuccessfully contested the last district council election from Langrin constituency.