SHILLONG: Security measures have been tightened across Meghalaya in view of the Republic Day boycott called by the proscribed HNLC.
All police stations in different parts of the state have been sounded alert even as a regular coordination exercise with other security agencies including BSF has been made ahead of the celebration, official sources said.
Official sources said round-the-clock patrolling is being carried out in different parts of the Capital city. All passersby are being checked at different places to intercept the movement of insurgents, sources added.
The HNLC has issued a customary 24- hour bandh call in the Khasi- Jaintia Hills region from 6pm of January 25 to 6 pm of January 26.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma will hoist the national flag and take the salute at Tura.
Meanwhile, East Khasi Hills district police chief M Kharkrang has said that HNLC is no longer a force to reckon with “but we are not taking anything lightly”.
Kharkrang said that the district police have made an elaborative security arrangement to make Republic Day celebration a big success.
Stating that police have taken all precautions, Kharkrang informed that additional forces and as well as additional officers have been deployed in the entire state capital.
Extension of HNLC ban : Meanwhile, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal will soon conduct a hearing following the decision of the Central government to extend the ban on the Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) of Meghalaya.
Sources on Saturday said that the tribunal will first conduct the hearing in this regard and if it felt that the ban on HNLC should continue, the Ministry of Home Affairs will issue a fresh notification regarding the extension of the ban period against the outfit.
Sources also informed that the Central government through the Ministry of Home Affairs had issued a notification dated, 16th November 2014 which extended the ban on HNLC under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
It may be mentioned that the HNLC had expressed its desire last year to hold peace talks with the government. It had also stated that it was unwilling to just surrender and end up like other surrenderees who ‘snatched away employment opportunities from local youths’. (With inputs from UNI)
