Shillong, Aug 13: The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has threatened to take ‘revenge’ against the Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui and two other surrendered cadres of the outfit following the death of its former general secretary Chesterfield Thangkhiew in a police encounter on Friday morning.

Thangkhiew, 56, was killed during an encounter with the police after a joint team of East Jaintia Hills police and East Khasi Hills police raided his house at Mawlai-Kynton Massar in Shillong in connection with the recent blasts in the state at about 3 am on Friday.

Hours after the encounter,  HNLC general secretary-cum-publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said in a statement, “We have decided to revenge Herman, Treng and especially Lahkmen Rymbui for without his order, the incident of taking his (Chesterfield) life could not have happened…We will see for how many years Rymbui will sit on that chair.”

“It is also urged that people, NGOs or surrendered cadres should refrain from working with the two (Herman and Treng) because if anything happens to them, the outfit will not be responsible,” Nongtraw said while extending condolences to the bereaved family of Chesterfield.

Expressing shock at the killing of its ex-leader, Nongtraw said, “In fact that Chesterfield was being used by the IB and the SB all this while for him to consult with the outfit for talks. Our letters to the IB and the SB were sent through him.”

He also claimed that five years ago, Chesterfiled received death threat from Herman Pakyntein. “What has happened today was because the SHNLC like Herman Pakyntein, Treng Saw are involved with the police to take Chesterfield’s life,” he said.

“Kynsai War and Herman are indulging in collecting money in the name of the outfit especially from non tribal as per our information and the same was being divided among themselves,” Nongtraw further alleged.

Claiming that Chesterfield was not involved with the activities of the HNLC, he said, “He (Chesterfield) was however acting as a mediator between the outfit and the SB and IB.”

The HNLC leader also urged the NGOs to do their own investigation to find out whether Chesterfield was involved with the outfit or not.

A founding member of the Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council (HALC) in 1987, Cheristerfield held the post of a general secretary when it was re-christened HNLC in 1997. The HALC was the first tribal militant outfit in Meghalaya.