GUWAHATI:
Chief Executive Member (CEM) Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), Tuliram Ronghang, on November 26 announced the construction of a statue of the slain forest guard, Bidyasing Lekthe, who was killed in the Mukroh shooting incident along with five others.
Referring to Lekthe as a “brave soldier” of Karbi Anglong, the council decided that the statue will be built at Mukroh in West Karbi Anglong district, along the Assam-Meghalaya border by the KAAC.
Lekthe’s native village Jaluklangteng Lekthe is located in a remote area on a hilltop, in which 25 families live.
Ronghang, who was in the national capital for the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Bir Lachit Barphukan, arrived at Jaluklangteng Lekthe village, along with Hill Areas Development (HAD) Minister Jogen Mohan, on November 26.
The CEM was accompanied by Baithalangso MLA Rupsing Teron, EMs, MACs of KAAC, West Karbi Anglong deputy commissioner Krishna Baruah, superintendent of police Indranil Baruah and also divisional forest officer (DFO) of Hamren Forest Division Rajiv Engti and other senior police and civil officials.
Conveying his deep sympathy to the bereaved family members, Ronghang assured the victim’s wife will be given a government job. He added, “The illegal felling of trees in the Karbi Anglong forest should be stopped. The border outpost will be built soon.”
Requesting all sides to maintain calm for the greater interest of humanity, the CEM also announced that the KAAC will celebrate the birth anniversary of Karbi warrior Thong Nokbe Teron in Guwahati on the line of the 400th birth anniversary of Bir Lachit, in New Delhi.
Thong Teron was the captain cum bodyguard of the Jaintia king, Jayanta Narang. Had it not been for him, the Karbis would have been persecuted by the Jaintias to this day.
“It’s not a border clash but a clash between security and timber smugglers,” said HAD Minister Jogen Mohan.
Mohan said that the KAAC has already handed over Rs 5 lakh as one-time assistance to the family. The state government will also provide Rs 5 lakh and the forest department alone will provide Rs 4 lakh to the victim’s family.