SHILLONG: The State DGP’s office has directed the Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills to conduct an enquiry into the alleged “institutionalised harassment” of non-tribal women and children in the Ichamati area bordering Bangladesh apparently as a fall out of incidents of violence in February this year resulting in the death of a KSU activist.
The inquiry has been necessitated after National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) directed the SP to submit its enquiry report within October 7.
In a letter to the SP, Sylvester Nongtnger on September 30 last, the NCPCR said it had received a complaint from one Gayatri Borpatra Gohain of the area alleging that women and children of Ichamati, Bholaganj, Kalibari and Kalatak villages were facing “terrible harassment” at the hands of “armed insurgent groups and also from the administration”.
The complainant alleged that “since the men folk have exited the place (following violence in February), the police and local overground radical groups have started harassing the women and children.”
The complaint, however, did not specify the nature of harassment allegedly being meted out to women and children. It said that complaint was originally addressed to the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.
The NCPCR directed the SP to specifically look into the following points:
(a) How many children are affected due to this violence; (b) who are these groups who are harassing the children; (c) who are the police personnel who are allegedly harassing the children; (d) what action has been taken by police to ensure safety and security of children; (e) whether FIR has been registered, if yes, the copy thereto; if not, reason thereof.”
The Commission also directed the SP to ensure “strict vigil to maintain law and order” and to deal with the culprits as per law.
In a related development, some NGOs of West Bengal submitted a memorandum to the officer-in-charge of Meghalaya House in Kolkata last week demanding action by the state government against perpetrators of organised persecution of the residents of Ichamati and the adjoining area. They alleged that the men folk of the area, who are businessmen, were being denied that right to carry on with their lawful businesses.
The members of the NGOs also demonstrated in front of the Meghalaya House at Russel Street in Kolkata.
A similar complaint has been forwarded to Governor Satya Pal Malik and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
It may be mentioned that Ichamati erupted in violence in February this year when some local non-tribal residents clashed with KSU volunteers leading to the killing of one KSU member. Police swung into action and arrested nearly 70 residents suspected to be involved in the killing.
Since then the area which is known for limestone export trade with Bangladesh has been witnessing simmering tension.
