SHILLONG: Attacking the Shillong-centric lifestyles of senior police officials of the State, who lack knowledge of the ground realities in Garo Hills, Garo National Council legislator, Clifford Marak, on Friday, suggested that both the State DGP and IG (Operations) should stay in the jungles of Garo Hills for at least three months to understand the real situation.
Participating in a discussion on an Adjournment Motion on the volatile situation in Garo Hills and ways and means to end militancy, Marak who hails from restive Chokpot, observed that in order to know the actual situation in Garo Hills, it is desirable that the Government asks senior police officials to stay in the jungles of Garo Hills so that they would know what is happening out there.
The Chokpot legislator, further, claimed that carelessness on the part of police officials had resulted in two innocent victims from South Garo Hills District falling prey to GNLA bullets in the early part of this year.
Marak informed that House that on February 9 last, the DSP of South Garo Hills had picked up two villagers identified as Priding Momin from Mitap Bodola village and Metalson M Sangma from Mitap Megapgre who were asked to take the police to a certain GNLA hideout. In the ensuing encounter one GNLA cadre was shot dead.
“However, the very next day (February 10), both Momin and Sangma were shot dead by GNLA militants,” Marak alleged, while blaming the police for not ensuring protection to the ‘sources’.
Referring to the gruesome execution of a 35-year-old woman at Chokpot, Clifford said that the Sub-Inspector in charge operations and the Officer in Charge Chokpot police station used to frequent a tea stall run by the victim and seek information on militant activities. Due to the careless attitude of the police, the militants suspected her to be a police informer and executed her, the legislator added.