NONGSTOIN: The HANM West Khasi Hills District on Monday went ahead with their proposed sit-in demonstration cum ‘black flag day’ at Nongstoin.

The demonstration began at 1 pm with around 100 participants led by HANM members from various parts of the district gathering outside the DC’s office to register their protest and to demand removal of the Deputy Commissioner.

They had, earlier, proposed to organise the demonstration on the DC’s office premises. However, with the imposition of Sec 144 CrPC within and around the office, the agitators were stopped short at the gate of the DC’s office by the police. Also present with the police were ADM S Diengdoh and EAC MA Challam who tried to negotiate with the agitators.

The ADM asked the agitators to hold their agitation elsewhere as Sec 144 CrPC was in effect at the proposed venue. After a short deliberation, the agitators agreed to shift their demonstration venue to a basketball court located near the Nongstoin Indoor Stadium. The agitators also sought and obtained permission for taking out a rally around Nongstoin before starting their demonstration.

HANM West Khasi Hills leaders Wills Sohshiang, Bolly Lyngkhoi and Paul Kharbani led the rally from the DC’s office through the Nongstoin market to the basketball court. During the rally, HANM members shouted slogans demanding the immediate removal of the DC.

The demonstration, which began at 2 pm ended at around 5 pm with a brief meeting where the members decided to conduct picketing of all offices in West Khasi Hills District on September 23 and 24 as part of their next phase of agitation.