SHILLONG: Militancy can blur the lines between truth and untruth. Fear and paranoia make people take the wrong side and say things under duress. This appears to be the case of East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Vijay Mantri, who has been trying to streamline administration in an area where law and order is repeatedly breached.
Intelligence sources inform that some businessmen of Williamnagar Bazaar had approached the DC to complain against the police’s delayed response to the shooting of a wine store manager in Williamnagar. The DC assured them of full protection. During the course of the discussion, Mantri asked the business community to stop paying money to any militant group as extortion money brings more weapons, more bullets and leads to more killings.
Our sources claim that the DC’s advice was promptly relayed to GNLA military commander, Sohan D Shira, by one of the participants at the meeting who was allegedly a ‘plant’ of the GNLA. This person alleged that the DC was demanding money for providing police to protect the business community.
The GNLA allegedly instigated the business community, under threat to give that statement against the DC.
However, the real issue in this case is that police have entered Bolkingre village on the other side of Simsang river and are camping in that village in the MNREGA building. The GNLA commander of that area, Jimmy, naturally resented the police presence in Bolkingre village as this village was earlier under GNLA control but is slowly going out of their grip.
The DC, BDO and president and secretary of Bolkingre village have come under threat from Jimmy for allowing police presence in Bolkingre. Jimmy issued a death threat to the BDO, a lady. Police have not withdrawn from Bolkingre till date. Hence GNLA have resorted to these tactics to pressurize the Government to transfer the DC, our sources inform.
Our sources also say that Mantri has been instrumental in resuming the construction of the 110-metre-long Simsang bridge which connects all villages beyond the Simsang river.
The bridge which has been hanging fire for 25 years is a crucial link between the district headquarter and the villages and would facilitate speedy movement of vehicular traffic. Mantri has been monitoring its construction work and visiting the site regularly.
Mantri was also instrumental in bringing Bailey hanging foot-bridge across Simsang river at Kusimkolgre village of Williamnagar. This bridge is being built at a cost of roughly Rs.1.10 crore.
Mantri has crossed swords with the GNLA because he decided to streamline the coal auction business. Previously the auction of coal was completely controlled by Sohan Shira and his family. No one came forward to participate in coal auction for fear of retaliation from the outfit.
It is an open secret in East Garo Hills that coal is auctioned at pre-determined prices and only Sohan’s family is allowed to fix the price of the coal auction. Sohan is into coal business and has amassed wealth and also invested not less than Rs 15-20 crore in coal, rubber etc., sources claim.
Streamlining the coal auction business automatically means more revenue for the Government. Coal that is offloaded by the inspectors of the District Transport Office after checking for overloading is normally put to auction by the designated Additional District Magistrate. Anyone can participate in the open auction but no one has dared to do so. This trade has been the prerogative of Sohan Shira and his relatives, sources inform.
Loss of control over the coal auction business coal means a loss of income for the GNLA. Hence the canard spread against Vijay Mantri, sources say, adding that it would be fatal for the Government to fall into the trap of transferring an upright civil servant only because he is standing up to militants.
“The Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police, Williamnagar work as a team and both are upright. This is a threat to the enemies of peace,” said a resident of Williamnagar.
