The Meghalaya Police today said that the modus operandi employed in the explosion that took place at Them Iew Mawlong here yesterday resembled the previous blasts which the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) had claimed responsibility.
It may be mentioned that yesterday evening at around 10:30 pm, a crude Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was detonated in an uninhabited and abandoned CGI sheet structure at Syndicate Bus Stand in Them Iew Mawlong.
The IED was placed inside a metal container. The blast, suspected to have been caused by Gelatin sticks, was confined to the CGI sheet structure while causing damage to the glass windows of the adjacent buildings.
One person identified as Lakhan Singh sustained injuries in his leg due to splinters generated by the blast. He was shifted to Woodland Hospital for medical treatment.
“The modus operandi employed in this blast bears close resemblance to the blasts that occurred in the past in the region for which the banned unlawful association HNLC had claimed responsibility,” East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Rituraj Ravi said in a statement issued today.
However, Ravi informed that no organisation or outfit has claimed responsibility for the Them Iew Mawlong blast.
Meanwhile, the East Khasi Hills district police today announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh to anyone giving credible information that leads to the arrest of any person involved in the IED blast.
Ravi urged people who have information on the case to come forward and the identity of the informant will be kept fully confidential.
He also said that anyone willing to give credible information that leads to the arrest of any person involved in this dastardly and gruesome act can contact the Special Cell through call, text message or WhatsApp on phone number 9366790273 or through email on specialcell.ekh.m/p@gmail.com.
Following the incident, a suo-motu FIR has been registered at Shillong Sadar Police Station for further investigation into the matter under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act.
“East Khasi Hills Police is fully committed to investigating this matter meticulously to apprehend those responsible for this blast,” Ravi said.
