[Reader-list] police firing in meghalaya

[lalit batra]

Firing and subsequent killing of peaceful protestors in Tura and
Williamnagar, Meghalaya

 

Meghalaya/New Delhi, October 5 2005: North East Solidarity Group in Delhi
strongly condemns the barbaric massacre of unarmed citizens carried out by
Meghalaya police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Tura, West
Garo Hills, and Williamnagar, East Garo Hills, Meghalaya, on September 30,
2005.

 

On the morning of September 30, 2005, civil society groups and citizens of
Tura gathered at the Chandmari grounds for a public meeting on the ongoing
agitation by Garo Students’ Union on Meghalaya Board of School Education
(MBOSE). The Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills gave due permission
for this public meeting. However, the district administration along with
personnel from the CRPF and the Meghalaya Police (MP), who were also
present at the venue, disallowed the meeting at the last minute. 

 

A magistrate present at the venue, however, allowed Mr. Sengrak D. Marak,
Chairperson of the Joint Action Committee for the meeting to speak for
about 10 minutes. But as soon as Mr. Marak started to speak, Meghalaya
Police personnel attempted to arrest him. The citizens present resented
this. When the protestors tried to reason with the police the security
personnel started firing tear shells at the gathering. This created
confusion and panic among the people. Some at the gathering also attempted
to throw shells away from them. It was then that the CRPF started firing
into the air, causing more panic and confusion. 

 

As the confused protestors tried to run away from the location the armed
personnel trained their guns towards them and started firing
indiscriminately. This resulted in the death of 4 people and injured
nearly 30. Till the time of the preparation of this report, sources in
Tura reported that four more people had succumbed to their injuries taking
the death toll to 8. The ones who died on the spot were: 

 

Benedict Marak, Male, 48 
Segran B. Marak, Male, 41 
Daniel M. Sangma, Male, 23, Student 
Dipak Phira, Male, 13, School Student in uniform, shot at point blank
range
 

In a similar incident and on the same day, police and CRPF personnel fired
upon the citizens of Williamnagar when procession taken out by the
citizens after a public meeting. After hurling tear gas shells and firing
in the air, the police started firing at the procession, killing 4 people
on the spot. About 20 were injured. Reports from Williamnagar also said
that three of the injured succumbed to their injuries. The names of the
one killed at the spot are: 

 

Trusbil G. Momin, Male, Class VIII student 
Pornit Sangma, Male, 21 
Joynti G. Momin, Male, Class V student 
Saffirel G. Momin, Male, BA 2nd year student 
Selden N. Sangma, Male, 18
 

This incident was not only a barbaric act of human slaughter. It is also a
violation, with utter impunity, of the democratic right to protest.
Although the police brutality is nothing new, but if the civil society
remains silent over the shrinking democratic spaces and increasing
violations we would not be able to absolve ourselves of the guilt of
silence over such issues. 

 

We as concerned citizens demand:

 

Immediately bring the guilty security personnel to book 
Ensure adequate compensation to the victims of this barbaric act as
demanded by the organizations lading the agitation 
Set up the up an independent committee into this event and also into the
insecurity caused by the presence of armed personnel in civilian areas of
Garo Hills, so that these atrocities on the citizens can be investigated
and the guilty be punished. 
The Meghalaya Government should immediately institute a judicial inquiry
and Government of India should initiate an action against the CRPF
personnel involved in the incident 
The Government of India should initiate a process of demilitarization in
Meghalaya and the entire North East 



		
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