Guwahati: The Centre on Thursday declared the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), an insurgent outfit based in Meghalaya, as a banned organisation for five years due to its involvement in violent activities and actions that threaten India’s sovereignty and integrity.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a notification said the Union government is of the view that the insurgent group has declared its aim for secession of areas in Meghalaya primarily inhabited by the Khasi and Jaintia tribes.
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It said the group continued to intimidate the civilians to extort funds one behalf of the organisation.
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“The HNLC, along with all its factions, wings, and front organisations of Meghalaya, has been involved in such activities that are prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India,” the notification read.
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The notification said the HNLC has also been maintaining links with other Northeast-based extremist outfits in order to carry out extortion and intimidation.
It said the group indulged in as many as 48 criminal cases, including explosions or planting of explosives in Meghalaya between November 2019 and June 2024.
“Considering all these facts, the Ministry of Home Affairs decided to declare HNLC outlawed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967) for five years,” it added.