GNLA bandh paralyses GH, ultras exchange fire with police near school
TURA: The dawn-to-dusk bandh call given in the five districts of Garo Hills by the proscribed GNLA on Monday caused a total shutdown of the entire region due to which a sizeable number of students failed to turn up at their examination centres.
The militants also exchanged fire with security forces outside a missionary school in Tikrikilla area of West Garo Hills district in which a pistol with ammunition and some gelatine sticks and detonators were seized after the encounter.
A group of suspected GNLA militants, who came in two motorcycles, were trying to enforce the bandh when the firing took place at Rabhagre village of Tikrikilla.
While police claimed that six GNLA militants on two bikes opened fire on the school forcing the police to retaliate, the Roman Catholic mission has clarified that the incident happened on the road outside and the educational institution was not affected.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, the church authorities said that the school principal had given a holiday as soon as students assembled for classes in the morning and it was only during the later part of the day that they came to know about the firing incident from others.
The militants fled on foot into the jungle leaving behind their two motorcycles, a Bajaj CT 100 and a Discover, along with a 7.65 mm pistol with five live rounds in a magazine, 2 gelatin explosives, safety fuses, 2 electronic detonators, a demand note, a GNLA deed agreement book and ten empty cases of ammunition.
Barring the firing incident, the rest of the Garo Hills witnessed no untoward incident even as students appearing for their various examinations on Monday were the most affected.
The ongoing Class X Matric (SSLC), Class XII (HSSLC) and college examinations have been impacted by the bandh call as a majority of examination centres witnessed several empty seats although a majority of candidates did make it to appear for their tests.
This is perhaps the first time Garo militants have called for a bandh during an examination leading to heavy criticism from parents and students alike.
Monday was a day for the Maths examination for the Class X (SSLC) while HSSLC candidates in the science stream had to appear for their Physics paper. The Class 12 Arts candidates had their Political Science subject while BA 1st year students were to appear in their Philosophy paper.
Absence of public transport in the rural areas is said to have been the main reason for many students failing to reach their respective examination venues. In some areas students are reported to have walked for over 10 kms just to reach their centre due to non-availability of public transport. Invigilators had to allow late arrivals to appear for the tests taking into consideration the difficulties they faced due to the forced shutdown where transport service was limited to only a few areas.
The transportation scenario was most visible in the towns and its nearby areas where many students availed the service to reach their examination venues.
In Tura as many as 15 buses of the Tura Public Transport Service were pressed into service to ferry students from Tura and the outskirts of the town to the examination centers. Similar attempts were made by authorities to bring in students from far flung areas to the examination centres in Baghmara, Williamnagar, Resubelpara and Ampati district headquarters.
The Garo Students’ Union and other student bodies also chipped in by organizing vehicles to ferry students at several places including Tura.
Despite such attempts at ensuring cent percent attendance there were still many who missed out on their crucial examinations.
In Tura Government College examination centre, as many as 68 students failed to turn up while in Christian Girls Hr Sec School and Govt Boys Hr Sec School there were eight and 21 absentees, respectively.
Several other institutions and venues experienced absentees and almost all government offices, barring the DC and SP offices, remained closed during the bandh call given by the militants.