By The Editor
After the unwarranted and heartless action by Assam Police at Mukroh village, West Jaintia Hills district, on November 22 claiming the lives of five simple and unarmed Khasi villagers and an Assam forest guard, fear psychosis began to prevail among outsiders travelling to Meghalaya, especially from anti-social elements who are trying to take undue advantage of the situation. Meghalaya is not self-sufficient state and has to depend for much of its requirements, including petrol and petroleum products, from outside and all these goods have to pass through Assam. More than 200 petroleum workers, including drivers and handymen, under the banner of Assam Petroleum Mazdoor Union (APMU) stopped plying fuel tankers to Meghalaya from Thursday November 24 after hearing reports of manhandling and torture of truck drivers by miscreants. Soon the rumour spread very fast and there was a lot of chaos causing traffic jam until late night when vehicles rushed to various petrol pump stations for fuel supply on November 24. Meghalaya Director, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs requested APMU to call off the strike and resume supply assuring all safety measures. Subsequently, fuel tankers entered Meghalaya with police escort from Friday November 25. Meanwhile, the All Guwahati Taxi Drivers Union has set deadline of three days for Assam Police to allow entry of Assam tourist taxis into Meghalaya.
On Friday November 25 there was thin attendance in government offices because of the call for non-cooperation by five pressure groups to register protest against Assam Police inhuman action on November 22 at Mukroh village. Meghalaya immediately demanded investigation by central agency into sad incident and accordingly Centre has assured of CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) probe. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma along with Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong met Justice Arun Kumar Mishra, chairperson of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and other members of the commission apprising them of the whole incident that claimed six lives. Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) and All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) held joint meeting initiated by NESO (North East Students’ Organization) who agreed that the whole issue did not arise due to ethnicity but because of border dispute and hence called for peace.
Following the tragedy there was heated exchange of words between Meghalaya and Assam over territory of Lumpalang under Mukroh village. Headman of Mukroh, Hamboi Sumer said the area falls under Meghalaya claiming that there are documents and maps to support as it is under the jurisdiction of Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) and Mukroh falls under Elaka Dolloi Shiliang Myntang. Families of the five deceased accepted the Rs 5lakh compensation by Meghalaya government but refused Assam’s compensation claiming that life is more precious than the Rs 5 lakh. Meanwhile, various social organisations throughout the state have called for public protest and as per tribal traditions hopefully there will be peace and no untoward incident bearing in mind that students are busy preparing for their exams and Christmas is also approaching near.