Blast for not paying tax: HNLC

Shillong, Jan 31: The banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has said the reason for the bomb blast in Police Bazar was due to the failure of some non-tribal shop owners to pay ‘tax’ to the outfit.

In a statement on Monday, the HNLC general secretary cum publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said the outfit had decided to execute the blast on a Sunday to ensure there is no casualty.

“However, unfortunately some of the CRPF personnel and one person were injured during the incident, Nongtraw claimed.

He added that the number of people injured in the incident may go up.

“This would also be a warning to all the non-tribal shop owners not to defy the outfit’s diktat otherwise they would have to face the same consequences,” the HNLC leader said.

Nongtraw alleged that the Khyndailad has become a colony of a particular community making it unsafe for local people to walk at night.

“Therefore, in areas where the government cannot protect our indigenous people, the HNLC will protect them,” he said.

The HNLC general secretary alleged that the government had made a big mistake by killing its own messenger, who is the former general secretary of the outfit, Cherishstarfield Thangkhiew.

“This has angered the outfit so much. The person has died but the outfit will not spare those involved be it minister or be it top police officials,” he added.

However, in a statement, the former home minister RG Lyngdoh reminded the people about the dangers of paying tax to the outfit.

“The bomb blast at Khyndailad is supposed to create fear among the traders. This is a tactic used before by militants to bully soft targets. The next step will be to send extortion notes with the threat that the next blast will be targeted at individuals”,Lyngdoh said .

According to Lyngdoh, paying the militants will be like feeding tiger cubs who will turn into man eaters.

“The business community should not make any payments to the HNLC. They should invest the money instead in installing hidden CCTVs in an around their establishments and residences so that the potential perpetrators can be identified. Society should also come out as one community to help each other. If we do not stand together to fight these antisocial elements we will all be victimized. Remember the late 90s and early 2000s. We all suffered. Only when we all – traditional institutions, civil society, media, businessmen, police and the politicians – worked together could we bring peace and revive our economy”, Lyngdoh added.

He said the violence is not communal in nature because it will affect all communities. “Let us not fall prey to their tactics. Let us not be selfish. Let us stand united to fight this trend of violence”, he said.

Picture: The IED defused by the police after the arrest of the suspect.