SHILLONG, SEPT 12: Even as the Tura police arrested ten activists propounding the cause of a separate Garoland, the Garo Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC) has temporarily called off the indefinite Garo hills bandh which it had called on Wednesday after twelve activists including the GHSMC leader Augustine Marak were arrested on charges that they had assaulted government officials including women inside the West Garo hills deputy commissioner’s office.
The Tura police also raided the house of Garo National Council (GNC) legislator Clifford Marak on Thursday. Marak is also spearheading the separate Garoland movement and police raided his house to search for the GHSMC activists who it suspected were hiding in the legislator’s residence.
The ten GHSMC activists were also arrested for their alleged involvement in the attack and assault of government officials.
GHSMC leader Augustine R Marak and twelve others who were arrested have been remanded to 14 days judicial custody for unlawful entry into the deputy commissioner’s office besides assaulting employees and outraging the modest of women.
The GHSMC on Wednesday had called for an indefinite bandh demanding their unconditional release but on Thursday it called off as more members were arrested. GHSMC chairman Nikman Ch Marak said in a statement on Thursday,“We have call off the bandh and would sit for an executive committee meeting to decide on our next course of action if the arrested leaders are not release unconditionally.”
But the West Garo hills SP Mukesh Singh said, “The unconditional release of the arrested people is well beyond comprehension.” Even the Inspector general of Police ( western range) Heimon Nongpluh echoed similar views and said there is no room for complacency for the police
Asked on the need of additional forces in the five districts, Nongpluh said that there are adequate forces to deal with the present situation.
The indefinite bandh called by the GHSDC in the five districts passed off without any untoward incident on Thursday. While there was a virtual shutdown in West Garo hills district initially but in South West Garo Hills the impact of the bandh in East Garo hills and South Garo hills the bandh had little impact.
Meghalaya Commissioner of Division (Garo Hills) PW Ingti said that the overall situation in the five districts is not perceived as good. He said,“It may be tense in some parts but the result of the overall assessment made by the officials does not indicate any volatile scene.”
With regard to the molestation of women government employees by the activists, Ingty said, “The government employees must have been assaulted but it was not clear yet if the female staff were molested.” He informed that the government has sought for a report as the police also have not given any information about molestation except vandalism.
Ingty said in “such a situation, the protesters must have forcefully pushed out or manhandled government employees who were in office which may not be called as molesting.
Meanwhile GNC legislator Clifford Marak who house was raided by the police on Thursday is fuming. He said the police cannot raid an MLA house without first taking permission from the Meghalaya assembly speaker or the deputy speaker.-By Our Report
+ There are no comments
Add yours