Shillong, Aug 13: Police have identified over 30 overground workers of the banned HNLC.
DGP, R Chandranathan told reporters on Friday that the outfit is left with only 16 cadres in Bangladesh.
“Here in the state, they have overground workers and we have identified some 30 of them,” he said.
The DGP said the HNLC was also using delinquent elements like drug addicts for their activities.
“We noticed in the Khliehriat IED blast incident, the boys who were arrested, of course most of them were overground cadres but one of them Ranjit Kumar, the boy who lit the fuse, was a drug addict,” he said.
“They are also employing delinquent elements like this so it is not that they got cadres who are doing everything, no. We feel it is a serious matter…,” he said.
To a question as to whether overground workers pose serious threat to the state, Chandranathan said, “We are trying our level best to address the issue as the problem starts when somebody makes a bomb and tries to place it in public places and then it is not very easy for the police then it is not just the responsibility of the police alone it is the responsibility of the community also and it is responsibility of everybody.”
The police official added that the HNLC is not working with other militant outfits.
On the question of demand notes served to business people by the HNLC, the DGP said it is a matter of investigation but a number of them are cooperating with the police and protection is given to them whenever it is required.
I-Day security
Chandranathan said adequate measures have been taken to ensure peaceful Independence Day celebrations on August 15.
“We have tightened up everything. We are doing threat analysis on a daily basis. Our teams are in place,” Chandranathan said.
To a query, the DGP said the police are taking everything seriously and have made all counter measures.
To a question on the deployment of paramilitary forces is concerned, he said, “We don’t operate alone, they are always part of all police activities,” he added.
