MAWKYRWAT, Feb 25: A labourer was killed and seven others injured when a group of about 15-20 masked men armed with knives and tools attacked them on Wednesday night while they were sleeping in their place of stay on the St. Xavier’s College campus in Shait-Shait Umoid village, 15 km from Mawkyrwat in South West Khasi Hills district.
Three people have been detained in connection with the incident while the college has been closed indefinitely.
Doctors at the Mawkyrwat CHC, where the labourers were rushed to after the incident, referred them to the Civil Hospital in Shillong for treatment as they had sustained serious injuries.
One of the workers identified as Raju Mondal (20) of Ujanghagrar Char in Assam’s South Salmara-Mankachar district, succumbed to his injuries within a few hours in the hospital. The seven injured are Aminul Islam (35), Abul Mondal (29), Bahadur Sheikh (32), Abdul Bari (42), Shahinoor Alom (21), Yeasin Mondal (45) and Amir Hussain (24) – all from the same village as the one who died.
Parish Priest of Mawkyrwat Parish, Fr. Friding Kharsyiemiong said the incident took place at around 11:30 pm when the unknown miscreants barged into the campus and thrashed the labourers.
“The incident was well planned. The intention of the miscreants was to attack and harm our labourers.
These unknown people were armed with knives and tools and covered themselves with masks and no one knows who they are. They came in a Sumo, but the problem is that we did not get the registration number of the vehicle,” he said.
“What was surprising is that the miscreants knew precisely in which classroom they were staying although we had constructed a separate place for them to stay. This shows someone must have fed them the information,” Fr. Kharsyiemiong said.
Fr L. David Nukhu, the college’s Vice Principal said the labourers had been brought on February 19 for constructing the college administrative block and the girls’ hostel building. The licensing officer of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council’s Labour Department had given permission to bring them.
“However, at around 8 am on February 22, the village Headman, Secretary and some members of the village authority of Shait-Shait Umoid came and told us that the workers cannot stay and work in the college until further arrangement. Consequently, we had to keep them at Nativity Higher Secondary School, Mawkyrwat for their safety,” he said.
“On February 23, we sent a letter of clarification to the village authority and on the same day we had a cordial meeting where the labourers have been granted permission to stay and work. Therefore, we shifted the labourers to the St Xavier’s College construction site at Umoid on February 24 at 7:30 am. They were brutally attacked at around 11:30 pm,” Fr. Nukhu added.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the college authorities said they had sought the approval of the Chief Minister, Home Minister and Law Minister besides top officials before the arrival of the labourers. The school authorities had also met the leaders of some NGOs, including the Khasi Students’ Union and the Hynniewtrep Youth Council to explain the need for these workers.
The deputy commissioner and local leaders were also kept in the loop.
At every stage they were assured of the safety of the workers, acknowledging that their intentions as an educational institution were genuine and the purpose was not to run a for-profit business. All the workers possessed work licenses mandated by the state and every procedure was followed, the college authorities said.
“St. Xavier’s is committed to the advancement of the local communities and to advancing the educational aspirations and employment opportunities of the youth. On occasions when the school authorities, despite their sincerest efforts, have inadvertently overlooked any requirement, they have readily apologised and tried to resolve the problem. However, violence is not an acceptable solution to any problem, no matter what it is. A threat to the life or wellbeing of an innocent worker is not a price that the authorities are willing to accept,” the statement said.
“The members of the Managing Committee have been informed about the unfortunate developments and are working with the Jesuit authorities to find a mutually acceptable solution. Until a satisfactory solution is found, the Education Council of the Jesuit Society for North East India has resolved that all work in Umoid will indefinitely be kept on hold, including the running of classes,” it stated.
The Myntri of Shait-Shait Umoid, Kranly Wahlang and ex-President of the Seng Samla Shnong Shait-Shait Umoid, Kyrpang Erius Syiemlieh condemned the incident and requested the police to find the culprits and book them according to the law of the land.
South West Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Maxwell B. Syiem said the police had rushed to the site after the incident to ascertain the facts and registered a case under Section 447/450/324/326/302/34 of the Indian Penal Code. He also said the police have so far detained three people for interrogation and efforts were on to identify and arrest the culprits.