From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH, Aug 21: In a significant breakthrough, Ri-Bhoi Police have apprehended a suspected member of the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), along with two of his accomplices, foiling a potential IED plot in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
Acting on credible intelligence, the police detained Equest Langsiang (31) at the Bethany Hospital Outreach junction in Nongpoh early Tuesday morning. Upon his detention, incriminating evidence was recovered from his mobile phone, which was subsequently seized by the authorities. Based on this evidence, a case was registered at Nongpoh police station under Case No. 87(08)2024, with charges filed under Section 113 (3) (5) of the BNS.
During preliminary interrogation, Langsiang confessed to being a member of the HNLC and admitted to conspiring with Bangladesh-based members of the proscribed outfit to carry out IED attacks. He disclosed that he, along with other HNLC members, was planning to plant explosive devices at several locations across Khasi and Jaintia Hills. Langsiang further revealed the identities of two accomplices involved in the plot, leading to their arrest.
The accomplices, identified as Deiborlangki Sariang (31) from Nartiang and Markhlan Biam (34) from Laskein, confessed to being members of the HNLC and revealed that they had been planning to execute IED blasts on August 14 and 15, 2024, under the direction of the outfit’s leaders based in Bangladesh.