GUWAHATI/NONGPOH: Assam police have confirmed that Michael Warjri, the secretary of Hima Nongspung whose house at New Balakhowa in Jirang was allegedly vandalised by a mob on Tuesday, has been sent to judicial custody and is currently kept in Lokhra jail.
Warjri, 76, was in custody of Palasbari police in Kamrup district after a case was registered against him at the police station on Tuesday.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Thursday, additional superintendent of police, Kamrup, Sanjib Kumar Saikia said Warjri had allegedly attacked a person with a machete after an altercation with a group of people near his residence at Ranibari along the inter-state border.
“Subsequently he threatened a mob who had gathered there with a single barrel gun, which could have been dangerous, and so police had to intervene and take him to Palasbari police station where a case was registered,” Saikia said.
According to the police officer, the incident started after Warjri had reportedly prevented a machine-laden vehicle to pass near his house to repair a bridge and even threatened the driver with his gun.
“The driver fled the scene and thereafter the altercation with the mob took place,” Saikia said.
Earlier reports said the house was attacked because Warjri was opposing the ongoing construction of a PMGSY road at Balakhawa by the Assam government.
Sources said on Thursday that residents of the area were agitated with Warjri since long for his alleged objections to the construction work.
Asked about the incident, Warjri’s daughter Badarilin Ranee told The Shillong Times that a group of people from three villages, Balakhawa, Bernongsai and Ranibari in Jirang district, pelted stones and damaged her house besides burning official documents.
“It was the Assam police who intervened and rescued my father from the attackers. He was kept at Palasbari police station on Tuesday and is now in Lokhra jail. I will meet him tomorrow. But I will not rest till justice is done and the perpetrators are arrested,” an irate Ranee said, asking how could a 76-year-old man attack people who were part of a mob.
“The official documents were destroyed because my father had opposed construction under PMGSY scheme by Assam on Meghalaya land. My father had won a case and had managed to get a stay order against the development schemes,” Ranee alleged.
Three arrested
Meanwhile, based on an FIR filed by Ranee at Nongpoh police station, the police arrested three persons from Ranibari, Salman Sangma, Biamon Sangma and Nipu Sangma, in connection with the incident on Wednesday night. Interrogation is on to arrest others involved in the incident.
Sources in Warjri’s village said the secretary was creating an obstacle for the Assam government to encroach into Meghalaya land. Meanwhile, leaders of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) met Deputy Commissioner of Ri Bhoi Rosetta Mary Kurbah on Thursday and handed over a memorandum with a set of demands.
Addressing the district administration and the SP, HYC demanded that serious note be taken of the FIR filed by Ranee and all those involved in the attack on Warjri’s and vandalism should be arrested.
Ranee has named the headman and secretary of Balakhawa in the FIR. The name of the contractor who was allotted the PMGSY project is also in the complaint.
The council also asked the district administration to take steps for immediate release of Warjri from the custody of Assam police. It expressed concern about his ailing condition after the assault. It also alleged that Assam police are torturing him in custody. “Denial of medical treatment is a gross violation of human rights,” HYC said in its memorandum.
HYC urged the deputy commissioner to inform the Meghalaya High Court about the violation of its stay order on the ongoing construction of the PMGSY road in the border villages.
“The contractor did not follow the court order and continued the project work,” it stated.
HYC wants a police outpost to prevent the Assam government from taking over land in the border villages.