A day after the banned Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) shattered any illusion that it could not strike the heart of Shillong in broad daylight, Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui admitted that the police under his control were guilty of an intelligence “lapse” and that they had not anticipated that such an attack could happen.
Two people were slightly injured in the improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Laitumkhrah market yesterday afternoon. The HNLC took responsibility and said that it had tried to avoid casualties.
“I cannot say that it is a total intelligence failure but I must admit that there was a lapse,” Rymbui said today. “We could not anticipate that such a thing could happen in that particular area.”
The militant group has carried out bomb blasts in places outside Shillong, including a night time IED attack on the police reserve in Khliehriat less than a month ago, but this incident in the heart of Shillong during the day is a wake-up call for the authorities, the minister added.
He called on the police to be more vigilant and treat any intelligence, no matter how small, as important and deserving of rigorous analysis.
Rymbui also called on the public to help the police investigate this crime as well as prevent future attacks from happening.
Reacting to the HNLC threat to the media for, it said, not being independent enough in its reporting, the minister described this as “ridiculous”.
“This threat is totally uncalled for, totally condemnable and this threat should be immediately withdrawn by the proscribed organisation,” Rymbui added.
Meanwhile, one person was arrested for his alleged involvement in the blast.
Assistant Inspector General of Police (A), GK Iangrai in a statement today did not name the arrested person.
He informed that the criminal case registered in Laitumkhrah Police Station has been transferred to Crime Branch Police Station, East Khasi Hills, Shillong (CBPS) and the investigation is on.
