SHILLONG: The 13 pro-ILP pressure groups have given one-week deadline to the Meghalaya Government for the unconditional release of three NGOs members who were arrested during the ILP agitations in the later part of last year.
The arrested members are KSU activists Johny Sohkhlet and Readytonstone Nongrum and HNYF member Everson Syngkon. They have been booked under the Meghalaya Prevention Detention Act (MPDA).
Both Sohkhlet and Nongrum are presently locked at Williamnagar jail while Syngkon has been kept in Jowai jail.
“Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma had assured that the Government would consider the demand to release them from jail during the recent second round meeting to deliberate on the issue of influx,” FKJGP president Joe Marwein informed after a meeting of the 13 pressure groups here on Monday.
He said that they had given the Government one week’s time to release all the arrested NGO activists. “We would again meet if the Government fails to comply with our demand,” Marwein said.
Johny and Nongrum who are members of the KSU Laban Circle were arrested in November last year for their alleged involvement in setting ablaze Bisheshwar Das, owner of Babua Tea Stall at Bishnupur, who later succumbed to burn injuries.
Synkon was arrested for allegedly attempting to set ablaze a Sericulture Farm at Ummulong, Jaintia Hills.