Indefinite curfew in border areas

TURA: The indefinite curfew which was clamped along the 5 km radius border of Meghalaya bordering Assam in Garo Hills on Saturday evening remains in place with no relaxation on Sunday even as a high level official delegation from the two states met to monitor the situation.

No untoward incidents have been reported from either side of the border on Sunday even as security forces continued to patrol the area.

Curfew was imposed at 5 pm on Saturday along the Garodoba-Monabari border belt with neighbouring Assam’s Mankachar town after a frenzied mob from the other side made an attempt to gherao the Monabari police outpost inside South West Garo Hills district after rumours began to circulate about some persons being assaulted by security personnel from the Garo Hills side.

Meghalaya Police personnel had to open four rounds of fire in the air to disperse the mob which indulged in stone pelting causing damage to a private vehicle which was passing by.

The Deputy Commissioner’s official vehicle was also pelted with stones by the mob.

“Anti-social elements had spread false reports about people from Mankachar getting beaten by CRPF personnel patrolling the Garo Hills side which prompted the angry outburst,” said South West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh.

He said that CRPF personnel had earlier peacefully dispersed a crowd from Assam which had gathered in the area based on false reports of attacks.

The same group of people reportedly spread word that they were assaulted by security force personnel manning the Garo Hills sector.

As news spread, several hundred men began to march towards Monabari police outpost inside Garo Hills from Mankachar at around 3 pm while another group began to cross the Jinjiram river on boats and were headed to Garo Hills.

As the crowd swelled in number, the Deputy Commissioner and district police chief R Muthu rushed to the spot with reinforcements while their Assam counterparts were alerted of the situation.

The mob even pelted stones onto the Deputy Commissioner’s vehicle and other passing vehicles forcing the security forces to open blank fire to disperse the crowd, informed government officials.

Following the turn of events curfew was imposed throughout the border belt with effect from 5 pm until further orders to quell the unrest and put a stop to rumour mongering which had been adding fuel to the tense situation.

The curfew which covers 5 kms inside Garo Hills extends from Mir Jumla’s cemetery area near Mankachar town all the way to Garodobha village.

As many as two companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed along the troubled belt to quell the unrest which has been propelled by vested interest groups.

Meanwhile, a delegation of senior district officials from both Dhubri and South West Garo Hills districts held a meeting at Monabari on Sunday afternoon to review the law and order situation on both sides of the border.

The Meghalaya side was represented by Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh, district SP R Muthu and Inspector General of Police H Nongpluh while the district chief from Dhubri and other officials represented Assam, it was reported.

CID to probe violence: In the light of the sudden outbreak of violence along the Mankachar-Monabari region, district administration in Ampati has decided to hand over investigation of the incident to the Criminal

Investigation Department (CID) of the State Police.

The administration decided to bring in the CID to probe the turn of events after it was found that the violence was propelled by rumour mongering encouraged by certain elements within the society.

“The CID will investigate the spread of false reports through mobile communication, messages and word of mouth. Those involved will be taken to task,” informed Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh.