New Delhi: Junel Tongper alias June, a member of banned militant outfit – Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) – has surrendered before Inderjit Singh Rana, IG, BSF Meghalaya Frontier at Border Outpost Umkiang, 97 BN BSF, under Umkiang police station in East Jaintia Hills (EJHs) district of Meghalaya, said the BSF in a statement.

The surrendered cadre was deployed as an area commander in East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya and he belongs to village Lumphyllut under Umkiang police station, EJHs. He joined the outfit in 2010 and after training, he was actively working for the outfit. He was apprehended by Meghalaya police in 2015, but was later released on bail and absconded. He re-joined the outfit in November 2020 and was based at Panaipunjee under Kulaura police station of Moulvibazar district in Bangladesh.

According to the statement, the surrendered cadre stated that he is one such victim who was misled and misguided by the banned outfit HNLC among other unemployed and less educated youth. Taking advantage of his simplicity, innocence and economic situation, the HNLC lured Junel Tongper to join the outfit, and thereafter, exploited him for their unlawful activity and mala fide intention.

It is worth mentioning that BSF Meghalaya is putting in all out efforts to help such misguided youth to join the mainstream. BSF also assures to provide such youth facilities of skill development and vocational training and remunerative amount post surrender. In the case of Junel Tongper, BSF was continuously in touch with him for the last one year.

The intense efforts of BSF bore the fruits and finally Junel Tongper was motivated to join the mainstream. It’s a huge blow to the militancy in Meghalaya and more such misguided youths will join main mainstream in times to come. The family members of the cadre expressed their gratitude towards BSF on the homecoming of Junel Tongper.

IG Ftr HQ BSF Meghalaya Inderjit Singh Rana has urged the local population, village heads to work hand in hand with the BSF to eradicate these evils. He further said the BSF is continuously encouraging the youths of bordering areas to pursue their career in defence and   CAPF services and lead a life of peace, tranquility and prosperity.