NONGPOH: After Saturday’s violence in the district over the construction of railway line, Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner CP Gotmare on Sunday said appropriate legal action will be taken against KSU volunteers involved in the crime.
The district administration on Sunday imposed section 144 CrPC in Ri Bhoi prohibiting assembly of more than five persons. Educational institutions were exempted from the order. The order also prohibits carrying of weapons by the public.
In a surprise attack, the KSU volunteers had on Saturday vandalised the railway property and assaulted the workers of VNR Infrastructures Ltd besides torching vehicles in protest against the construction of railway line at Ronghona village under Byrnihat police outpost.
Some of the workers and security personnel sustained injuries in the incident.
Besides torching a vehicle repairing shop at Pahamsohthri around 11 pm on Saturday, a fresh incident of attempted attack on a house was reported on Sunday evening, but only the haystack was damaged.
Police said around 7 PM, a group of miscreants set ablaze the haystack belonging to one Hulas Rai located a few metres away from Nongpoh police station.
Gotmare asserted that future course of action as per law will be taken against those involved in the crime.
“Maintenance of peace and tranquillity is the need of the hour and section 144 CrPC was imposed to prevent any untoward incident,” he said.
He also hinted that if the situation demands, curfew will be imposed.
The Deputy Commissioner wanted peace to prevail as the district is preparing for its silver jubilee celebrations. He urged the people of Ri Bhoi to cooperate and act towards maintenance of tranquility for smooth celebrations.
“For me and the district administration, the first priority is public safety and maintenance of law and order, and we shall do whatever needs to be done for the same,” Gotmare added.
Rs 50 lakh damage
When asked about the loss due to the damage to property and machinery in Saturday’s violence, Gotmare said that he is yet to receive the exact assessment.
He said approximately, the constructing company VNR Infrastructures has incurred a loss of over Rs 50 lakh due to the violent incident.
KSU leaders booked
under MMPO
Ri Bhoi police chief R.P Singh said that only two KSU leaders were arrested and three FIRs lodged against the attack on the properties and machinery.
The arrested leaders, KSU North Khasi Hills president Ferdynald Kharkamni and KSU Central Body assistant secretary Son Nongkhlaw will be remanded to five days’ police custody for further investigation.
Sources said that the two leaders were booked under several sections of the Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order (MMPO) and IPC.
Besides, police also registered cases against those who instigated the attack on railway properties as their names were revealed by the arrested leaders of KSU during preliminary investigation.
“In this surprise protest of KSU against the railway project, around 10 police personnel were injured,” Singh said.
SP warning
He added that for maintaining peace and tranquility, the police are ready to take further course of action against any individual or group trying to take law into their own hands.
The SP also warned action against individual or group trying to create law and order problems in the district.
Singh said the police department is yet to assess the damage caused by the violence as it will be carried out by the railways and the implementing agency.