Shillong, August 22: Smit, a quaint little hamlet on the outskirts of Shillong, has seen a series of shocking events in just a span of one month, leaving both the local community and authorities bewildered.

On July 3, an IED blast rocked a residential area, followed by the brazen looting of a petrol pump on July 27. As the dust settles on these incidents, a cloud of speculation has emerged, raising questions about whether these incidents might be connected to the newly floated Khasi militant outfit – National Liberation Council of Nongkyndong (NLCN).

While no concrete evidence has surfaced linking the NLCN to these incidents, the timing and area of occurrence have raised many questions from all sections of society.

When Hub News tried to get more information, a top police official neither denied nor acknowledged these connections and speculations. He simply remarked, “As of now the case is under investigation and they (arrested NLCN members) have not revealed anything on this.”

On July 27, a group of four masked miscreants looted Rs. 3.60 lakh from a petrol pump in Smit village, using allegedly ‘fake’ firearms. The incident took place at 9.47 pm when four masked miscreants, wearing ‘commando camouflage uniforms’, forcefully entered the Pyngrope Service Station at Urmasi in Smit. According to reports, after looting the petrol pump, the masked miscreants ‘fled on foot’ towards the Shillong-Jowai road.

In another incident, a 38-year-old person was killed on July 3 in a blast at his home in Lumkynsai, Smit, East Khasi Hills. Police have confirmed indications of an ‘IED’ at the blast scene.

To date, the State Police are still investigating ‘who supplied the explosives to the person’ as he was reported to have been bedridden for several months due to illness.

Connecting the dots, the NLCN members are young, with a self-styled chairman believed to be a tenth-grade student with great enthusiasm to do whatever they feel is right, even though it is wrong and illegal. The NLCN is reported to have connections with a banned militant group in Nagaland. The NLCN was planning to send their first batch of recruits for training to Nagaland, before spoiled their party.

As of now, both cases are still under investigation by the State Police.

With 50 days into the first incident and close to a month for the second and no answers provided, one thing is certain: the puzzle of the Smit IED blast and petrol pump looting remains complex. The potential connection to the NLCN adds an intriguing layer to the ongoing investigation.

However, at this point, it is difficult to say resolutely if the dots really connect as is being assumed or there is more to what meets the eye.

Also Read: Dilapidated AMPT Road in Garo Hills: HC says rains cannot be an excuse for poor roads in Meghalaya

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