SHILLONG: CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing was on Friday arrested by the district police for obstructing an eviction drive conducted by the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) at Umsawli areas in New Shillong Township (NST) earlier in the day.
The arrest was made on Friday evening following two FIRs lodged against her.
The first FIR was lodged by Paul Micky Kharwanniang, JCB driver of MUDA, at Rynjah PS. He claimed that while the District Administration was conducting eviction drive at Umsawli MUDA between 12 noon and 1 pm on Friday, Agnes Kharshiing along with the villagers obstructed the eviction and also threatened him.
The second FIR was lodged by Banri PS Lyngdoh, Executive Engineer, MUDA, at Rynjah PS who also claimed that while the District Administration was conducting eviction drive at Umsawli MUDA, Agnes Kharshiing along with the villagers had obstructed the eviction and also threatened him.
Kharshiing had gone to Umsawli area in the NST to protest the eviction drive against alleged illegal settlers which was carried out in the area at around 10 am. She was however, detained midway between Shillong and NST and brought to the Sadar Police Station.
Kharshiing had earlier claimed that a part of the land measuring 5.25 hectares acquired by the State Government was owned by one Gracibon Kharsohtun but the same was ‘sold off’ to the Urban Affairs Department without her knowledge.
Kharshiing also claimed that the State Government had fraudulently got hold of another 370 hectares of land in the NST from the owners – Unikey Kharkongor and Nearly Kharkongor – by means of forged land documents which had not been not verified by a Sub Registrar.
Kharshiing stated that ever after many RTI applications there is still no trace of the land documents except for the ‘Power of Attorney’ which cannot be taken as land documents. “The eviction drive should have not been carried out in a land that is mired in controversy as the case is still under investigation and to chase away people who have been living there for centuries is not justified without first verifying the facts,” said senior lawyer Poonam Yadav who is closely associated with Kharshiing.
Meanwhile, Kharshiing has been remanded to 14 days in judicial custody.