TURA: For the first time in fifteen years, there was no grand function to commemorate the sacrifices of the September 30 police firing victims on Wednesday either at Tura or in Williamnagar.
The violent incident of 2005 which claimed the lives of altogether 9 lives had shook the whole region as well as the State. While four innocent people lost their lives in Tura, five others were killed in Williamnagar as police fired indiscriminately upon a mob protesting the alleged bifurcation of the MBOSE. Since the firing incident, memorial services had been held every year at Chandmary playground in Tura and at the Rongrenggre Government School Playground in Williamnagar.
This year, the 30th September Victims’ Solidarity Forum, which had been organizing the memorial service every year had to cancel the programme due to the prevailing situation due to Covid-19 at both places.
“The Inter Denominational Memorial Church Service for the Martyrs’ will not be held this year in Chandmary Playground. But the Forum Leaders’ will pay a visit to the Victims’ family and its respective graveyards in the morning along with the family members’ and the constituent Organisations’ of the Forum and its leaders’ will pay a floral tribute in the evening at Chandmary Playground where its memorial Cenotaph stands,” Chairman of the forum, Manseng A Sangma informed.
In Williamnagar, a similar tribute would also be paid to the fallen martyrs at the Cenotaph at Rongrenggre playground only by the victims’ families and and a few members of the Forum.