Agitation fact file: 115 cases, 76 arrests, Rs 31 crore loss
SHILLONG: A total of 115 registered cases, arrest of 76 pro-ILP activists including three under the Meghalaya Preventive Detention Act, and estimated loss of over Rs 31 crore due to damage to property – this has, so far, been the outcome of the two-month long ILP stir, with no hope of a quick end to the impasse.
The agitations have taken a toll on the proper functioning of the Government, the law enforcement agencies and even the NGOs who have utilized every bit of their time and energy since the last two months on the single issue of Inner Line Permit.
It was after the talks between the Government and the NGOs failed over the issue of ILP that the latter first called a bandh on September 2, followed by a series of agitations. Arson cases and assaults marked the agitations which have, so far, resulted in the death of two persons in Shillong.
Two months of unrest have forced the administration and the law enforcers, to concentrate only on one issue (ILP) leaving them with no option to focus on other matters.
While the investigation of other crimes by the Police have taken a back seat due to their focus in maintaining law and order in the view of agitations, the NGOs who are demanding the implementation of ILP are unable to concentrate on other relevant issues.
Police have admitted that security forces are hard pressed while trying to maintain law and order and at the same time concentrate on investigation of others crimes.
The Garo Hills region has remained relatively peaceful with no stir called over the ILP issue, but police in other districts in Khasi Hills, Ri Bhoi and Jaintia Hills are experiencing a tough time balancing the law and order issue with the investigation of other crimes.
East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, M Kharkrang, has, however, affirmed that even though greater focus is being laid towards the ILP-related agitation in the State, the same has not hindered the investigation unit of the police.
“We are trying to maintain a balance between the law and order unit and the investigation unit and we are trying to charge sheet the ILP-related cases at a fast pace,” he added.
Similarly, East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police, Manbha Kupar Dkhar, has stated that the district police had to strategize to meet the requirements and since the situation in the district is not that bad, the district police, though, handicapped by man-power shortage, did not have major problems in tackling the law and order and investigation of other crimes.
Ri Bhoi Superintendent of Police, CVS Reddy, said that with the deployment of new recruits and sub inspectors in the district, there is no shortage of man-power. “The district has enough officers and staff to deal with the law and order and investigation of crimes,” he added.
Garo Hills on the other hand has experienced a rather peaceful atmosphere as far as the ILP issue is concerned. “Police have registered only one arson case so far, but the police are not sure whether it is related to ILP agitation or not. Overall, the situation is peaceful in the district as far as the ILP issue is concerned,” West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi said.
The ILP-related unrest, one of the longest in recent times, has resulted in loss of property worth several crores of rupees.
Though the State Government assessed the total damage to be over Rs 31 crore as per the petition filed before the Special Court, it did not include the loss incurred due to the torching of the BSNL warehouse at Mawlai Mawiong and other cases.
The district which recorded the highest number of cases of violent incidents is East Khasi Hills with as many as 81 cases registered and over 60 arrests made. Two NGO leaders were also booked under the MPDA. The casualty in the district was two. Ri Bhoi district had 14 cases registered and 12 arrests made so far, while in West Khasi Hills, eight cases have been registered with two arrests including one under MPDA. In West Jaintia Hills, seven cases were registered with two arrests, while two cases each have been registered each in South West Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills with no arrests, and one case in West Garo Hills with no arrest made so far. In East, South, North and South West Garo Hills, no cases have been registered and no arrests were made.