SHILLONG, July 18: The proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has claimed that the four individuals arrested in connection with the IED blast at Khliehriat Police Reserve are neither from the cadre of the outfit nor overground workers.
“Arresting people on mere suspicions is as easy as catching fish with a net. This is a cheap tactic adopted by the police department,” HNLC general secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said in a statement issued to media on Sunday.
Nongtraw also claimed that the banned outfit had written several letters to the state government and even to the Union Home Ministry to facilitate the peace talks and had discussed the matter with top leaders of the outfit. “We have documented each and every letter for future reference in case questions are raised that we did not want peace and shun the path of violence,” Nongtraw said.
He further said that the appeal of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma asking them to shun the path of violence for talks to happen, should be implemented in letter and spirit.
“It has been 17 years (since 20O4) that we had made the offer for peace talks,” he added.