SHILLONG, Sep 27: The office of the Director General of Police, Meghalaya, on Monday claimed that the police action on August 13 was aimed at the swift arrest of former HNLC leader, Cheristerfield Thangkhiew in view of incontrovertible evidence of his involvement in the IED explosion at Khliehriat Police Reserve on July 14, and also credible information received between August 10 and 12 regarding his involvement in conspiracy for conducting another IED explosion in Shillong on August 13.
A statement issued by the DGP’s office said, “Role of (L) Cheristerfield Thangkhiew had also been unearthed in the extortion demands received by MDCs and prominent businessmen, the evidence available pointed to modus operandi of (L) Cheristerfield Thangkhiew of undertaking extortion demands and using money received for financing IED explosions at the behest of HNLC under the cover of being a ‘retired’ HNLC operative.”
“The police action was aimed at the swift arrest of (L) Thangkhiew so as to interrogate him as to the planned location of the next IED explosion. In these circumstances, neither was it possible, necessary or advisable for the Police to serve a notice upon (L) Cheristerfield Thangkhiew. In fact it was necessary to undertake the operation for his arrest in covert manner so as to not provide any opportunity to (L) Cheristerfield Thangkhiew to destroy evidence and/or abscond. The decision for his arrest was taken at the highest level in consultation with all senior officers of the Department and after evaluation of all options and was considered necessary to prevent large scale loss of life in further IED explosions,” the statement added.
“Terming the death of the former HNLC leader as killing on the orders of the Police is a gross misstatement and a complete falsehood,” the statement said, adding that the death was caused due to non-cooperation of (L) Thangkhiew with the police team and clear attempt on his part to assault and cause fatal injury to a member of the police team, and the resultant firing of single shot by police personnel, purely in self-defense.
“The successful arrest of the former HNLC would have aided the effort of the police in bringing the active cadres of the HNLC overground and therefore arrest was the sole objective of the police action,” the statement read.
