TURA: The extended occupation of a school in Chokpot by security forces has irked several NGOs of the region including the GSU, FAF and FKJGP who have strongly demanded that the forces be relocated elsewhere.
According to the NGOs a large number of security personnel were dispatched to Chokpot in view of the law and order situation that arose following the custodial death of late Withson Sangma who was suspected of involvement with the Garo militant outfit GNLA.
The NGOs informed that a personal request was made to the Headmistress of the Chokpot English Secondary School by the Officer In-charge of the Chokpot Thana to temporarily accommodate the security forces for one night. However, the school has been housing the men in uniform for more than 26 days now with no initiatives being taken by the concerned authorities to provide them alternate accommodation, the NGOs claimed.
With half yearly examinations just round the corner the prolonged occupation of the school by the security forces have been causing a great deal of inconveniences to the students. “If the occupation of the school by the security forces continues the educational careers of the students will be greatly affected as they will not be able to appear for their half yearly examinations,” the GSU Chokpot Regional Unit said.
Concerned over the plight of the students of the region the combined NGOs have demanded the immediate shifting of the forces to another location failing which it threatened to call a bandh in the entire Chokpot region.