Bomb blasts, killing, arson and curfew - why is 'peaceful' Meghalaya tense again?

Thangkhiew, who was a founder leader of HNLC had surrendered in 2018, and his family members alleged that he was killed in 'cold blood'

Two bomb blasts since July, killing of a former insurgent leader and the subsequent violent protests on August 15 in Meghalaya capital Shillong seems to have brought the troubled days back to the hilly Northeastern state.

Meghalaya police raided the house of Chesterfield Thangkhiew, the former founder leader of Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), an insurgent group on August 13. Thangkhiew was shot dead after he allegedly tried to attack the policemen with a knife.

Thangkhiew, who was a founder leader of HNLC had surrendered in October 2018, and his family members alleged that he was killed by police in 'cold blood.' As his funeral march was going on August 15, trouble broke out with young boys, many masked, pelting stones on Shillong streets in which a police van was attacked.

The police team fled, leaving their weapons and the vehicle behind. The masked youths drove the car away, with some brandishing the police weapons in public view. Hours later they set the vehicle on fire but took away the police weapons.

Read | Meghalaya orders probe into ex-rebel's killing

The situation deteriorated as the protestors lobbed a petrol bomb on the house of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and the home minister Lahkman Rymbui quit hours later as demanded by the protestors including activists. Curfew was clamped and a ban on mobile internet was imposed till Wednesday. Stones were also pelted on the carcade of Governor, Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday.

Although Chief Minister Sangma said investigation suggested Thangkiew's involvement in the bomb blast plan, Agnes Kharsiang, an activist based in Shillong said, "If the government had strong evidence, they should have followed the procedure. The SP, Shillong city was on leave when the incident happened. Killing of a person in this way is not acceptable. At the same time, we also condemn the bomb blasts."

Militancy in Meghalaya

HNLC was formed in 1997 as an off-shoot of Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council, Meghalaya's first militant group, which came into being in 1987 and was later disbanded. The HNLC demands a "sovereign geography" for the Khasi and Jaintia communities. Strength of the outfit, which reportedly still has camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, decreased due to counter-insurgency operations since 2000. But the outfit resumed violence in 2019, when it was declared an unlawful by the Centre.

Peace process

The outfit has expressed its willingness for talks several times but the government asked them to surrender first. "We will not give up arms before a concrete decision is taken. We want an interlocutor to be appointed first," general secretary of HNLC, Seinkupar Nongtraw said in a statement emailed to DH on July 26.

CM Sangma on Monday said the Centre rejected some of the conditions put forward by HNLC and they were asked to rework on their demands for initiating talks.

"The outfit should make their demands public," Kharsiang said.

Another militant group, Achik National Volunteers Council (ANVC), which seeks a seperate state for the Garo community, another major tribe, however, is in ceasefire since 2004. CM Sangma belongs to Garo community.

'Return the weapons'

Sangma on Wednesday suspended the policemen who fled and left behind their weapons on August 15 and issued an appeal for return of the weapons. "We have decided to keep their identity secret keeping in mind the present situation," he said. Interestingly, no one has been arrested so far.

Sangma also formed a judicial inquiry committee to probe Thangkhiew's killing, as demanded by the protestors.

Congress spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala on Wednesday asked why the Centre was silent over the situation in Meghalaya.