By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the Friday’s mob violence in Tura which erupted after five migrant labourers allegedly molested a mentally challenged girl on Friday evening.
Informing this here on Saturday, an official press statement said that the Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills has been directed to submit the inquiry report within two weeks.
Overall situation, meanwhile, in Tura is tense but under control. No arrest has been made in this connection so far.
The sudden spurt in violence on Friday led to large scale vandalism and attack on several people and torching of a vehicle.
The alleged attempt to molest a mentally retarded 27-year-old (earlier reported 18-year-old) girl reportedly took place at Wadanang locality where the girl resides. Of the five culprits, three were caught by the mob, while two managed to flee.
Two bodies were retrieved from near the Tura Civil Hospital where a frenzied mob attacked passing vehicles and pedestrians besides attempting to forcibly enter the health facility to bring out three alleged suspects involved in the molestation attempt.
One of the victims was found dead on the road next to the Tura civil hospital while another who was barely alive was located from a toilet and rushed for medial treatment.
Meanwhile, a high level review meeting, chaired by Home Minister Roshan Warjri reviewed the situation on Friday evening. The meeting was attended by Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Zenith Sangma, Parliamentary Secretary of Home department and other senior government officials.
After detailed assessment of the situation, instructions were given by the Government for reinforcement of forces to effectively control and contain the situation to prevent any escalation.
The Home Minister said that the district administration had stepped up security and is meeting people to restore normalcy.
Warjri added that the government has rushed Parliamentary Secretary in-charge of Home Winnerson D. Sangma and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) YC Modi to West Garo Hills to take stock of the situation.
On the other hand, the indefinite curfew imposed by the district administration in Tura was relaxed to 5 hours (11 am to 4 pm) on Saturday to allow citizen to purchase essential commodities.
The indefinite curfew, however, continued in plain areas of the district, sources said. The administration has clamped a ban on sale of liquor in the district for the next five days.
Apart from imposing the curfew to defused tension in Tura, the district administration on Saturday convened a peace meeting in which all prominent members of the society participated.
While condemning the molestation and the subsequent acts of violence, the Government has made it clear that stringent action as per law would be taken against all those involved in these incidents.
The State Government is also in close coordination with the authorities of Assam at the local and the state level to diffuse the tension and build confidence measure.
“No untoward incident has been reported from any part of the district, specially border belt with Assam,” Commissioner and Secretary of Home department said here on Saturday while appealing people to maintain calm and communal harmony.
The District Administration is assessing the damage and cases have been registered. (With inputs from Tura bureau)