From Our Correspondent
NONGSTOIN: In a first of its kind, the GNLA came upfront and issued notifications in some part of Shallang as well as a tollgate at Songsak, calling a bandh of 15 days at Shallang from May 1 to 15.
The notification ordered all shops to remain closed and all trucks to stay off the road at Shallang.
A reliable source informed that earlier the GNLA had issued demand notes to shopkeepers, tollgates and coal traders. However no payment was made which irked the outfit.
Coal traders and shopkeepers complained that the huge ransom of 15 to 20 lakh was beyond their capacity and hence they refused to pay.
In one of the notification, it was boldly declared that if any one opposed the bandh they would be shot dead.
When talking to Superintendent of Police, West Khasi Hills, Sylvestar Nongtnger, he said “Two units of SWAT team have been deployed to Shallang for security reasons and mainly to arrest those who are involved in this bandh called by GNLA.” He also claimed that many suspected hideouts have been raided in search of those who involved but no arrests have been made so far.
Nongtnger urged the people of Shallang to not be afraid. Earlier on Wednesday, most of the shops had downed their shutters at Shallang market and all trucks remained off the road in fear of the bandh. However the police encouraged the shopkeepers to open their shops to which only a few complied.