Shillong : The Meghalaya police have arrested one person in connection with the recent recovery of a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) from front of the office of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), police said on Thursday.
The arrested person, whose identity is yet to be revealed by the police, was arrested late Wednesday night from Umphyrnai village, about 25 Km from Meghalaya’s capital
Shillong.
Police said that the accused was directly linked to planting of the IED bomb at Lower Lachaumiere, in the heart of the city at the entry point to the office of the NPP on Monday.
“We are still interrogating the arrested person to find out his accomplices,” the police official said, refusing to divulge specific details, citing preliminary investigation.
The Bomb Squad of Meghalaya police on Monday averted a bomb blast after they safely defused a 2.5 kg IED bomb made with commercial gelatine sticks and other materials.
Vice President, M Venkaiah Naidu was in the Meghalaya capital on a visit that day.
The proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) militant outfit has claimed responsibility through its Facebook account for planting the IED bomb at the gate of NPP office.
The outfit was also responsible for IED blasts in the recent past at the Laitumkhrah market, Shillong and at a police reserve at Khliehriat, East Jaintia Hills district.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had said that the police would deal with the matter and action would be taken against those who are linked with the attempt to bomb the NPP office.
