Our Bureau
SHILLONG/NONGPOH: Police on Tuesday produced 18 Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF) members who were arrested on Monday for trespassing into a government office (MUDA) at Nongpoh in the Court at Nongpoh on Tuesday. However, the court is yet to decide whether to remand the arrested persons in judicial custody or release them on bail.
“Instead of taking any decision, the magistrate directed police to produce the accused tomorrow (Wednesday) to decide their fate,” Ri Bhoi Superintendent of Police CVS Reddy said on Tuesday.
The RBYF were arrested by the Ri Bhoi Police for putting the MUDA’s office at Nongpoh under lock and key. Police booked them under the section 124 (a), 443, 341 and 34 under IPC.
“At present, the arrested members are kept at Nongpoh PS,” Reddy said.
The central body of Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF) on Monday chased away the staff of the MUDA’s office at Byrnihat and put the office under lock and key for the failure of the authority to reinstate two casual workers- -Hundalin Warjri and Sabita Lapang – after the end of one month deadline issued by it.
A delegation of RBYF led by central body president B B Makdoh and general secretary L.K Sawkmie accompanied by more than 30 members arrived at the MUDA’s office and asked the staff to leave. The MUDA staff complied to the order of the members of the youth body and immediately left their respective rooms. The RBYF members then put the office under lock and key.
The MUDA authorities, meanwhile, lodged an FIR against the RBYF members.
The organization, meanwhile, has demanded the release of all the arrested activists within July 3.
“If they are not released the organization will be compelled to intensify their agitational programme,” the RBYF central body Vice President Bipul Thangkhiew said.