Meghalaya Police have arrested two suspected members of the banned militant group Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) following a counter-insurgency operation in Ri-Bhoi district on Saturday. The operation was launched after authorities received credible intelligence about the HNLC’s ongoing attempts to extort substantial sums from local businessmen and government officials in the region. The extortion was reportedly carried out through violent threats, with victims being pressured to pay or face harm.
The first suspect, Pyndapbok Makri, was apprehended at Lad Quinine while allegedly in the process of collecting extortion money. His interrogation led to the identification and arrest of a second suspect, Lary Pynkmen Nongshli, who was located in Umtyra by East Jaintia Hills Police. According to Ri-Bhoi Police officials, Bangladesh-based HNLC operatives have been using online platforms like WhatsApp to send extortion demands to local Khasi businessmen and government officials. The demands are accompanied by violent threats to the victims and their families if they fail to comply with the group’s demands.
The police investigation also revealed that the HNLC recruits local youth from Meghalaya as overground workers to collect the extorted money. These individuals are often enticed by the promise of quick earnings, but they end up facing severe legal repercussions, while their handlers remain safely across the border.