Two people sustained minor injuries in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast at Iew Shillong, Laitumkhrah, here today afternoon.
The explosion occurred at Laitumkhrah market near a tea shop situated in the parking lot, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Sylvester Nongtnger, said.
The bomb squad, Crime Scene Unit and dog squad were immediately sent to the location to collect evidence and ensure that there were no other explosive devices present.
Immediately following the explosion there were suggestions by the public that it could have been due to a gas cylinder exploding or that of a nearby transformer. The sound of the explosion could be heard across the neighbourhood.
The police’s initial investigation was enough to ascertain that it was caused deliberately, however, and the outlawed Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) soon took responsibility.
The wall of the tea shop was punctured by a large hole and window panes of adjacent buildings were smashed. A criminal case has been registered at Laitumkhrah Police Station.
Dubiously, the HNLC claimed that this particular area was targeted because Laitumkhrah tends to ignore the militants’ calls for bandhs and the like, especially during Independence Day or Republic Day. This claim lacks credence as the impact of these calls for bandhs has been minimal throughout Meghalaya ever since the High Court banned the publication of such demands by the press in 2015. Indeed, the HNLC then slammed the High Court for passing such an order and criticised and even threatened the media for adhering to the court’s decision.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that the attack was preceded by a large number of extortion notes served on people in the area.
“It looks more like a racket of extortion and this is something we will not allow at all,” he said while promising the public that all those involved “will not be spared”.
The HNLC also said that it had not meant to cause casualties but was forced to strike during the daytime because its previous attacks were described as cowardly by the authorities because they had taken place under the cover of darkness.
One such incident saw the militants plant an IED in the police reserve in Khliehriat, East Jaiñtia Hills.
Sangma said that the intelligence unit of the state police are working hard and had nabbed all those involved in the Khliehriat attack and other incidents.
“The intel department has been working very aggressively. But, yes, this incident is very unfortunate. But we are sending a very strong message to all those involved that none of them will be spared,” the Chief Minister said. “A large network has been uncovered and we have been taking action against all of them.”
Meanwhile, East Shillong MLA, Ampareen Lyngdoh, under whose constituency the attack occurred, has condemned the blast as civilian casualties were unavoidable.
The legislator appealed for peace and calm and added that such an occurrence adds to the woes of the general public, who are already under tremendous strain because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lyngdoh also asked the police to get to the bottom of the incident and arrest those responsible.
