TURA:
Arrests of suspects over the mob violence on Monday night, while Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma was engaged in talks with agitating ACHIK leaders at the mini secretariat, continues with a self-styled woman social activist and three government workers being taken into custody on Wednesday raising the number of arrests to 35.
Among the new arrests are a home guards volunteer cadre and two government workers.
The latest arrests began with the capture of a high valued trouble monger who instigated the mobs to attack the secretariat when the chief minister was inside.
The accused Salseng R Marak, who was caught on multiple videos instigating the crowds to attack, had fled during the rioting and taken refuge in Damalgre village, outside of Tura, from where he was flushed out by police on Wednesday morning. He had contested the previous MDC elections unsuccessfully and tried to get a congress ticket for Selsella in this year’s assembly polls but was rejected by the party.
Self proclaimed social activist Jaynie Ningring Sangma (48) of Chitoktak, Tura, was taken into custody by police for alleged inflammatory tweets on social media.
Police, who have seized records of her tweets with others in a WhatsApp group called “Debate Hours”, accuse her of giving orders to her followers who were on the ground directing them to put womenfolk in the front of the crowds.
She is one among five women arrested during the day.
Jaynie Ningring Sangma has previously been chargesheeted by Tura police in another case of moral policing in which an assault occurred on girls who were rescued from a suspected case of flesh trade.
Meanwhile, another social media activist, identified as Sengbath D Sangma was picked up by Tura police for a highly provocative tweet during the rioting calling upon the public to attack the chief minister’s home and lay down their lives.
Bringing back haunting memories of the September 30th police firing on public in 2005 in Tura and Williamnagar that led to the deaths of nine people, the accused Sengbath called upon members of the public to lay down their lives in the process of attacking the chief minister’s house in similar fashion.
Home Guard and govt watchman
Police have also arrested a home guard volunteer cadre, a night watchman of the Urban Planning department office and a contractual worker in the Social Welfare department who had participated in Monday’s rioting.
Police alleged that Contractual worker Chianing N Sangma confessed that he took shelter in TMC leader Richard Marak’s house on the night of the rioting and returned home to Hawakhana only the next day.
Richard was taken into custody on Tuesday and stands accused by police of being part of the conspiracy that led to the rioting.
The arrested men and women were forwarded to court on Wednesday.
The situation in Tura has so far been peaceful with no untoward incidents reported but restrictions on sale of fuel has led to long queues in town for most part of the morning hours. Wine stores continue to remain closed, following orders from the district administration.
A 9 pm to 5 am night curfew is still in place in the town since the night of the troubles.