Shillong IED blast busy market casualties injuries damage HNLC Meghalaya

Shillong IED blast, Shillong blast injuries damage, Shillong IED blast casualties, Shillong IED blas — Image Source : REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE/PTI
Two injured in IED blast at busy Shillong market

At least two persons were injured in an improvised bomb blast by Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), an outlawed organisation in a busy market of Shillong on Tuesday.

The 1kg remotely-timed improvised explosive device (IED), triggered by the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), went off at around 1:30 pm behind a busy market area in Laitumkhrah injuring a shopkeeper and a passer-by.

The Police have registered a case and investigation is currently on to nab those involved in carrying out the blast.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday said those involved in the bomb attack.

“Those involved in the IED blast in Shillong will not be spared. Those who are a threat to peace will be punished," he said.

Once a dreaded armed group in Meghalaya and active in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region, the organisation which is reputed to have a base camp in Bangladesh, was banned as an 'unlawful organisation' by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2019 on grounds that "the outfit is yet to abjure violence".

The HNLC, a breakaway faction of the earlier Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council (1993) primarily operates in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region, and has carried out a number of attacks in the past. It claims it wishes to “free” people from alleged domination by “outsiders”.

Last month the rebel outfit carried out an attack at a police reserve barracks in East Jaintia Hills district headquarters injuring a policeman and damaging buildings. Three persons were later arrested.

(With PTI inputs)

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