SHILLONG: The KSU president Daniel Khyriem, who was arrested on May 7, was released on bail after a week’s stay in Shillong jail.
As Khyriem came out of the Shillong Jail here, he was given a hero’s welcome by his supporters.
He was received by his family members, leaders and members of the 13 pro-ILP pressure groups outside the jail.
Khyriem was arrested at Sadar police station after he refused to accept the bailable warrant notice given to him by a police official of Rilbong police outpost. He did not accept the notice on the ground that such warrants should be sent to his residence.
The KSU chief was subsequently sent to a 14-day judicial custody by the court of chief judicial magistrate after he refused bail.
The pro-ILP pressure groups on Thursday decided to seek bail for Khyriem after the Meghalaya government’s decision to withdraw all criminal cases filed against the group’s leaders and members during the ILP stir in 2013.
The 13 pressure groups, which include, among others, the KSU, the FKJGP and Hynniewtrep National Youth Front, had demanded a withdrawal of all the criminal cases following Khyriem’s arrest last week.
Soon after his release, Khyriem told the gathering, “This is not the end and from now onwards there will be intensive agitations if the government fails to address certain issues put before it.”
He threatened to launch intensive agitations if the State Government failed to implement the comprehensive mechanism to control influx and also passing of the village administration Bill to empower traditional institutions and headmen whose powers had been clipped by the Meghalaya High Court.
The KSU president also demanded the State Government to ensure that indigenous people of the State are exempted from the purview of the proposed Residential Bill and added that the Bill should be made applicable only for ‘outsiders’.
Expressing opposition on the recent ordinance to empower traditional institutions in the state passed by the State government, Khyriem made it clear that his organization would not accept it.
Later, a procession was also taken out by the KSU activists escorting their president from the jail all through Khyndailad area towards the office of the Union.
Shops and business establishments downed their shutters when the procession was passing through different areas of Khyndailad and other parts of the city.
