Legislator knocks MHRC’s door on Umwali’s lathi charged incident

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 16, 2019

SHILLONG: Rambrai Jyrngam legislator Kimfa Sidney Marbaniang has sought the intervention of the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) to prevent future recurrence of Umwali’s lathi charged incident and also to punish erring Assam police officials behind the incident.

In a letter to the Chairman of the MHRC, Marbaniang informed that yesterday while he was returning to Shillong from his constituency, he received a phone call from one of the villagers of Umsawli Village in Langpih, West Khasi Hills District Meghalaya to rush to Langpih as men and women who are from his constituency were beaten up by the Assam Police at Umwali.

He further stated that he immediately returned to Langpih and on reaching the village, he transported all the 28 injured men and women to the nearest PHC at Nonglang while the seriously injured persons were shifted to Nongstoin Civil Hospital. An FIR has been lodged by him in Nongstoin PS, he added.

The letter revealed that out of the 28 injured persons, most of them are women and few senior citizens, who were mercilessly beaten up by the jawans of the 4th Assam Police Battalion led by Assistant Sub Inspector of Police K Ch Roy. This highhandedness and atrocity against women is appalling.

Marbaniang informed that they were ordinary villagers who were helping the MeECL set up electric poles under the Rural Electrification Programme of the Govt. of India. He also said that this is not the first time that Assam police personnel violated the status quo agreement as far as developmental works are concerned in the disputed area.