Four suspected HNLC rebels arrested in Meghalaya

Four suspected rebels of the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) were arrested Thursday from two locations in Meghalaya's South West Khasi Hills, police said.

"We arrested two HNLC rebels from a bus while they were proceeding towards Mawkyrwat (the district headquarters of South West Garo Hills)," district police chief Debangshu Sangma told IANS.

Sekharia Thongni and Pholdenstar Lyngdoh were arrested from a bus at Jakrem, about 70 km from Shillong.

Sangma said police also recovered an appeal letter from the HNLC signed by the outfit's finance secretary, a receipt book of Lion Sports Club, two mobile phones, a Bangladesh SIM card with two Bangladesh link-up cards and other incriminating documents from their possession.

Based on leads from the two arrested rebels, two more suspected HNLC rebels, Pynshailang Snaitang and Phrenklinwell Syiemlieh, were arrested from Nonglieh village.

"We have started interrogating all four and we are hopeful that they would spill the beans on their activities," the police official said.

The HNLC, which runs hit-and-run operations from its hideout in Bangladesh, has been demanding a sovereign Khasi homeland in Meghalaya.

Meghalaya shares a 443-km border with Bangladesh, part of which is porous, hilly and unfenced and prone to frequent infiltration.