The government bans the Meghalaya-based HNLC insurgent group

The Union Home Ministry said that the central government believes that the HNLC has declared the goal of secession of areas in Meghalaya, predominantly inhabited by the Khasi and Jaintia tribes. File | Photo: The Hindu

The Center on Thursday (Nov 14, 2024) declared the Meghalaya-based insurgent group Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) a banned organization for five years for its involvement in violent incidents and carrying out activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India .

In a statement, the Union Home Ministry said that the central government believes that the HNLC has declared an aim to separate areas in Meghalaya, mainly inhabited by the Khasi and Jaintia tribes, and continues to intimidate and harass the civilian population to extort funds. for their organization.

The group is also said to have links with other insurgent groups in the northeast region for extortion and intimidation, and has been implicated in 48 criminal cases, including several cases of blasts or IEDs in Meghalaya, between November 2019 and June 2024 . .

“The HNLC, along with all its factions, wings and front organizations of Meghalaya, have been involved in such activities which are prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India,” it said.

“Considering all these facts, the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to outlaw HNLC under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967) for five years,” it said.