NONGPOH:
The Assam police arrested three Khasi youths in connection with an assault case by a mob where three border residents were injured at Jatalong village in Ri Bhoi district, on April 11. The youths have been picked from the Umpaklong area near the Umler River.
The arrested, identified as Barson Lawai, Standing Khriam and Dispar Mukhim, are the local residents of Sabuda village, the police said.
The Assam Police, after arresting the youths, took them to Ulukinchi for investigation. Sources, however, informed that the police have arrested the youths in suspicion of trying to burn down the Umler Bridge.
Following the arrest, the village leaders informed that they would submit a written demand to the district administration of Ri Bhoi to look into the matter and also transfer the case to the district police, as all the three arrested are Khasi youths.
The villagers also contacted the additional deputy commissioner of Ri Bhoi, MB Tongper, in this regard, but the ADC said that the administration is yet to receive any written complaint from the village leaders, and as of now, the border magistrate has been sent for spot inquiry and a report in this regard is awaited.
Earlier on April 2, a resident of East Khasi Hills district has sought the intervention of the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) in the case.
In his petition to the MHRC chairman, Joannes JTL Lamare, referred to reports and said on April 1, around 6 pm, three locals – Barnabas Lyngdoh, Seldron Mukhim and Flaming Sten of Khyndewso village – were passing through Jatalong village when a mob had attacked them with such brutality that the three were seriously injured.
In his petition, Lamare also asked the MHRC to consider the case as a violation and suppression of basic human rights that could have led to the loss of precious lives had the victims not fled the place of incident.
He said this act of violence may also lead to the disruption of communal harmony and thus encourage the escalation of tension between communities residing in the adjoining areas. “If there is communal unrest between the communities residing in these areas, community developmental programmes and progress cannot be carried out which is again a way that will lead to deprivation of civic amenities and thus these people cannot have access to proper ways of living,” he said.
Tongper, in a statement, had said that the police have arrested members of both the groups and have registered a case against them as well. “After the investigation and joint operation by the Meghalaya and Assam police, we found out that the clash between the groups was over illicit alcohol price. They all were inebriated when the incident happened,” the additional DC had said.
Speaking to The Meghalayan, Seldron Mukhim said that he and his friends were outside a shop when a group of people came and beat them up without any reason. “We were just the three of us, and they were around nine to ten in number,” Mukhim said.