By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 30: Paving the way for ‘misled’ youths to join the mainstream, a senior cadre of the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) surrendered before the BSF Border Outpost at Umkiang in East Jaintia Hills on Thursday.
The cadre, Junel Tongper, alias June, surrendered before IG of BSF Meghalaya Frontier, Inderjit Singh Rana.
The surrendered cadre was deployed as an area commander in East Janitia Hills, and hails from Lumphyllut village.
He joined the outfit in 2010 and following training, he had been actively working for the outfit. He was apprehended by Meghalaya Police in 2015, and was later released on bail and absconded. He re-joined the outfit in November last year and was based at Panaipunjee under PS Kulaura of Moulvibazar district in Bangladesh.
The surrendered cadre stated that he is one of the victims, who was misled and misguided by the banned militant outfit, including unemployed and laymen.
Taking advantage of his simplicity and economic situation, the HNLC lured Junel Tongper to join the outfit, and thereafter, exploited him for their unlawful activity and malafide intention.
The BSF Meghalaya is extending all-out efforts to help such misguided youths to join the mainstream. The force has also assured to provide such youths the facilities of skill development and vocational training and remunerative amount post their surrender.
In case of Junel Tongper, the BSF was continuously in touch with him for the last one year. The restless and intense efforts of BSF bore the fruits and finally Junel Tongper was motivated to join the mainstream.
According to the BSF, Tongper’s move is a huge blow to militancy in Meghalaya. The force believes that more such misguided youths will join the mainstream in times to come.
BSF Meghalaya IG, Inderjit Singh Rana, said that the insurgency gets opportunities to prevail due to illiteracy and unemployment. He urged the local population and village heads to work hand in hand with the BSF to eradicate these evils.
Rana further said that the BSF is continuously encouraging the youths of bordering areas to pursue their career in defence and CAPF services, and to lead a life of peace, tranquility and prosperity.