12-hour shutdown fails to have desired effect in plains belt region of Garo Hills
Our Bureau
NONGPOH/ Nongstoin/ Jowai/ Tura: Normal life was paralysed in almost all districts of the State as the 12-hour bandh called by ten pressure groups proved to be a resounding success even as measures adopted by the Government to maintain law and order failed to have the desired effect.
All commercial establishments, government offices and educational institutions remained closed throughout the day in Ri Bhoi, Jaintia Hills, West Khasi Hills and Garo Hills (hill areas), and the ever busy NH-40 and NH-44 wore deserted looks with only few vehicles plying on the roads.
Government offices, banks and post offices remained closed throughout the day. Attendances in almost all offices remained negligible, despite directives by the State government to the heads of departments to ensure maximum attendance on Monday.
Though the bandh was by and large peaceful in Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills region, several incidents of arson were reported from Nongpoh and Nongstoin.
In Nongpoh, unidentified miscreants tried to set on fire the storeroom of the PWD (Roads), Nongpoh Division, at around 2 am. Some files and an almirah were burnt in the fire. The miscreants also locked up the on-duty chowkidar in the office room before attempting to burn the office. An FIR was lodged at Nongpoh Police Station and a case has been registered under the Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act against unknown miscreants.
At around 3 am, miscreants torched the A.I. Centre of the Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Department at Umling under Nongpoh Police Station. The Centre, which was housed in five rooms of an Assam-type house, was almost completely destroyed in the fire.
Unidentified miscreants also defaced the Block Development Office at Umling by scribbling slogans like We Demand Implementation of ILP, No ILP No Rest and Down Down Mukul Govt. Police rushed to the spot and the writings were erased immediately.
The defacing campaign also took place in other places like the walls of the Urban Affairs Shopping Complex, the SBI Umsning Branch, Umsning Bus Stand and other places as well.
Unidentified miscreants also axed a large tree at Umtrew under Umiam Police Station in the wee hours of Monday to prevent movement of vehicles on NH-40. The tree was later removed by police personnel with the aid of crane. The miscreants also attempted to axe another tree about twenty feet from the first tree but could not complete the task since day light was approaching fast.
Miscreants also hurled stones on vehicles in Umsning under Nongpoh PS before the shutdown began. However, no injury was reported.
In Nongstoin, the bandh was not entirely incident-free as miscreants set ablaze two dumper trucks belonging to Sainik Enterprise at Pyndengrei, Nongstoin on Sunday midnight.
Sainik Enterprise is a Jaipur-based firm that has been awarded a subcontract for construction of the 5-km road between Mawrusyiar and Nongpathar.
Both the vehicles were completely destroyed in the attack.
Official of Sainik Enterprise informed that on Sunday night at around 8.30 pm three unidentified boys had accosted one of the drivers of the dumper trucks and later assaulted him and snatched Rs 700 from his possession.
Nongstoin Police have registered a case and are investigating the matter.
Elsewhere in the district, the bandh passed off peacefully with normal life being hit for the entire day. All traders downed their shutters and all vehicles were off the roads. Almost the government offices had zero attendance. At the DC’s office, only the ADC, EAC and the DC attended office while the other staff chose to stay at home.
Incidentally, the 12-hour bandh failed to make much dent in the minority dominated region of West Garo Hills even as the hills remained shut on Monday.
No untoward incidents were reported from the Garo Hills region.
The bandh evoked little or no response in Hallidayganj, Rajabala and Bhaitbari areas of West Garo Hills where most shops remained open and business went on as usual. Only Phulbari town was closed during the bandh.
The headquarters in five districts, namely Tura, Baghmara, Williamnagar, Ampati and Resubelpara remained totally shut during the day. Most government offices remained shut and the respective Deputy Commissioners’ offices operated with a skeleton staff.
In Jaintia Hills the bandh was successful and incident free.
All business establishments, educational institutions and government offices remained closed throughout the day while vehicular movement, both on the town roads and on NH-44, were totally affected in the twin districts of Jaintia Hills.