From Our Correspondent
NONGSTOIN: Two hours after the fast-unto-death undertaken by Pynskhemlang Nongshlong and others began at Langpih at about 7 pm, around 150 Assam Police personnel along with the ADC of Kamrup, Kama Baishya, Circle Officer Narain Basumatary and ASP Hriday Kalita approached the fast site in an attempt to disrupt the protest.
But villagers at Langpih created a human wall and prevented the police from disturbing the peaceful protest. Later, ADC (Kamrup) called the agitators for a discussion. In the presence of the Circle Officer (Kamrup) and officials from West Khasi Hills Magistrate W Nongsiej and ADM MB Tongper, the Assam official repeatedly asked the agitators to call off the fast-unto-death, saying that it was against the law and that they would not allow that to happen. They also asked the agitators to change the venue of the fast from Langpih to Shillong or to Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for greater impact and publicity.
The Assam officials also made a proposition to the agitators to put forth their demands before the Assam Government along with a deadline and that they would look into it.
The act of persuading the agitators to give up their protest lasted nearly three hours. Finally the agitators asked the officials from both the Government of Meghalaya and Assam to give a commitment to them in writing that they would solve the boundary dispute within a definite date.
In response the officials said that they did not have the power to sign such an agreement. The deadlock continued with the protestors deciding not to give up the fast.
Meanwhile the Assam officials said that they would have to take ‘necessary action’ to stop the fast.
When the mob realised that the meeting with the officials had failed to arrive at any decision they wanted to take on the Assam Police personnel. It was only due to the persuasion of ADM MB Tongper that the mob calmed down and a possible clash was averted.
Assam cops lathi charge at Langpih women
Assam Police on Friday evening (June 29) mercilessly beat up six volunteers for obstructing their attempt to demolish the shed constructed for the fasting volunteers at Langpih.
Among the six volunteers are four women who sustained severe injuries and are admitted at CHC Nonglang. The four injured women are Jaihin Wahlang (63) from Langpih, Stenlina Hoojon from Umyiap, Mistinlin Thongni (18) from Madan Jaiaw Langpih and Caroline Lyngkhoi (14) a school-girl in uniform also from Langpih.
These innocent women were mercilessly lathi-charged by Assam Police personnel and all of them are in a state of shock. One of them Stenlina Hoojon is the mother of Kolumbus Hoojon who was one of the martyrs, who fell prey to the bullets of the Assam Police on May 14, 2010.
Stenlina said that just like her son she too would not hesitate to give her life for Langpih. Caroline Lyngkhoi who is a school student was returning home from her tuitions when for reasons unknown to her she was also attacked by Assam police personnel. At the hospital, she still had her school uniform on.
These patients were brought to the CHC Nonglang on Friday night and till Saturday afternoon, the patients said they have had not been given anything to eat and were surviving on tea provided by the medical authorities.
It may be mentioned here that the Assam Police personnel at Langpih have continuously flouted the law by using force on unarmed women time and again.
Article 21 of the Indian Constitution states that, a person can be arrested only after proper procedures are implemented to affect an arrest.
Laws relating to arrest states that a woman cannot be arrested after sunset and if required the arrest can be made only in the presence of a woman police officer. It also says that women cannot be manhandled by male police officers.