Tynsong says law to take its own course against HNLC illegal activities

Deputy Chief Minister incharge Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday said the law will take action against illegal activities by the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) even as he appealed to the outfit to come back for peace talks.

At least, four HNLC cadres were arrested for serving extortion notes and threatening individuals with dire consequences after the outfit’s sleeper cell was busted by Meghalaya police.

Speaking on the issue, Tynsong said, “The law will take its own course not only for HNLC but anybody for any criminal activities (committed).”

He also appealed to the HNLC to stop all its criminal activities. “…my only appeal to any concerned let us not continue committing any illegal activities or criminal activities and come forward and work together with the government and everybody for the safety and growth of the state of Meghalaya as a whole.”

Urging citizens to report against such illegal activities, Tynsong said, “In fact, we have already clearly requested all the citizens of the state, whoever in case if they received demand notes or received threat or whatever in any form to kindly inform to the police force so that action can be taken immediately.”

Asked, the deputy CM said that the government is very clear that it is totally against any criminal activities.

“Okay, if you talked about the members of the HNLC in the name of sleeper cell and they work under the direction of the leaders from the HNLC, then the moment we came to know all this, then you know the law will take its own course,” he said.

Appealing to the proscribed to come back for peace talks, Tynsong said, “On the other hand, I still appeal, I still say again and again that the door for negotiation, for discussion across the table like we have done before, is still open for the members of the HNLC. So once again I would like to request all of them to come back for talks and let us sit down across the table like we have already started so why not we also continue the talk till the end.”

“As right now there is no communication, so therefore, the government has to also make sure that the citizens of the state are fully safe be it in the form of demand notes or be it in the form of threats so we will not allow that to happen,” he stated further.