​Cops kill ex-rebel leader, outfit swears vengeance

David Laitphlang, Shillong, Aug 13: Founding self styled general secretary of the proscribed insurgent outfit Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) Cheristerfield Thangkhiew died in a retaliatory firing by Meghalaya police in Shillong in the wee hours today morning.

The family members of (L) Thangkhiew claimed that police also took away two of his sons to an unknown location for no clear reason. The incident has evoked widespread anger against the police action, given the fact that the slain leader was critically ill with CKD that made his stomach bloat and practically immobilised him.

Detailing the incident, Meghalaya Director General of Police R Chandranathan told journalists this evening at his office that enough evidence was found to link the former HNLC leader to the two recent IED blasts which the outfit had staked claim to. “We found incontrovertible evidence of the involvement of Shri Cheristerfield Thangkhiew especially in the Khliehriat bomb blast case and we also found he had links to the Shillong blast case,” he said.

The last one was at Laitumkhrah on Tuesday, in which two persons, including a woman were injured. Earlier in July, HNLC cadres triggered another blast at the barracks of a special police team at Police Reserve in East Jaiñtia Hills district headquarters injuring a policeman and damaging a building partially.

The police chief said when the joint team led by East Jaiñtia Hills SP Jagpal Singh Dhanoa and East Khasi Hills SP (Traffic) Shailendra Bamaniya entered the house there was resistance from his side. “In the melee he tried to stab one of the constables. Purely exerting the right of private defence, one round was fired. Cheristerfield Thangkhiew was injured in his abdomen, unfortunately he succumbed to his injuries when he was taken to the hospital,” Chandranathan elaborated.

Police seized a 9 mm pistol, one knife, a laptop and a number of mobile phones and incriminating documents from the house of the former insurgent leader. A case has been registered at Mawlai PS under case number 39/8/21 under sections 353/506/307 IPC the DGP informed. He also stated that Thangkhiew’s sons were not arrested but picked up for verification. “We have to ascertain their role also,” he reasoned even as he added that they have been taken to the Civil Hospital Shillong for the requisite medical check up.

Meanwhile, a shell-shocked and agitated family and community expressed their wrath at the “inhuman and senseless” action by police. Speaking to journalists at the residence, the deceased leader’s shocked and angered younger brother Granary Starfield Thangkhiew said it all happened in a flash. Everyone one heard someone ramming the door, a gunshot and then saw Thangkhiew being carried out in a stretcher from the first floor of the house he fumbled with emotion.

Seething with anger, he said, “It is amply clear that they (police) came with the intention to kill and nothing else. Found a gun, no way, no way. It is clear by this action they came with one and only one mission, to kill my dear brother.”

He also lambasted the police for taking away the deceased leader’s two sons aged 30 and 27. The elder one Grainy Ferrous Greenfield Diengdoh is a doctor with the state veterinary department and is posted at distant Riangdo in West Khasi Hills District. He had just come to visit home a couple of days ago. Olyfin Ziyrcanium Greenfield Diengdoh the younger one is working as a private security guard.

“Who knows what all they must have done to them boys, probably they’re coercing them into making statements of their choosing and threatening them with all sorts of methods,” the visibly furious Granary remarked even as he asserted, “They could have come in the day time like any other normal person or even summoned him to the police station; why early at 3am when the whole world is fast asleep?” They (police) just want to show strength like cowards, shame on them.”

In an emailed communiqué, HNLC general secretary cum spokesperson, Saińkupar Nongtraw said that Thangkhiew was facilitating the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Special Branch (SB) to mediate with the members of the banned outfit.

“The correspondences which we sent to the IB and SB were all through Thangkhiew,” Nongthraw affirmed and further claimed that Thangkhiew was threatened by surrendered HNLC cadres, Herman Pakyntein and Treng Saw. “In fact the duo planned the killing of the former general secretary in active connivance with the police,” Nongtraw accused.

Blaming the Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui squarely for the death of its former leader, HNLC swore vengeance against him and the two former cadres. “Without his permission, this wouldn’t have happened to a person losing his life. We will see how long Rymbui remains in that chair,” the rebel leader avowed while asking people to stay away from the ex rebels or face the consequences.

The outfit also sent its condolences to the bereaved family members of its former general secretary.

Mentionably, Thangkhiew who remained the outfit’s most vocal leader had surrendered before Meghalaya Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong at Shillong in October 18, 2018 and since then nothing much was heard of him until today.

He was known to be one of the most dreaded militant leaders of the state and was the founding general secretary of the HNLC along with chairman Julius Dorphang who surrendered on July 24, 2007 and Bobby Marwein as Commander-in-Chief. Marwein is still at large and is believed to be averse to the idea of talks.

54-year-old Thangkhiew, son of Stevenson Thangkhiew of Mawlai Kynton Masar, joined Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council (HALC), the first militant outfit in Meghalaya, in August 1987 and held the post of general secretary.

Known to be close to Nagaland's NSCN (IM) and Tripura's NLFT, the HNLC is a product of a 1992 split in the Hynñiewtrep Achik Liberation Council (HALC), the first militant tribal outfit in Meghalaya.

Later when HALC was disbanded, a new rebel outfit–HNLC was floated in 1997 and he became its general secretary. In 2004, he left Meghalaya for Bangladesh and never returned till his surrender in 2018. EOM