By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 26: Police on Friday ruled out any communal angle in the assault case of three youths from Wahkaji at Golf Links while coming clean about the issue.
“The injured persons are still under treatment and, hence, have not provided any statement. A sustained effort is being made to identify and arrest the culprits,” East Khasi Hills Superintendant of Police, Sylvester Nongtnger, informed.
The police were informed that on Sunday that some boys at Golf Links have sustained grievous injuries.
“Immediately, a team from Pasteur Beat House rushed to the spot and found the two boys lying unconscious at the Golf Course near the forested area. They were immediately shifted to an ambulance for medical help with assistance of the police team along with the friends and family members of the victims,” Nongtnger said.
According to him, statements from eyewitnesses were recorded who revealed that the victims were part of a group who were playing football at Golf Links on Sunday evening.
“After the game, they stayed back and consumed some local liquor. Later, in the evening, more groups arrived at the same area for similar activities,” he said.
Nongtnger informed the victims’ party got into an altercation with another group initially. However, the differences were ironed out soon and both parties started having a good time together.
At this point, a din emanating from their group irked a third party in the vicinity, who then reacted by pelting beer bottles towards the victim’s group, the SP informed.
He said the eyewitnesses promptly fled the scene. “After an interval, they came back looking for their friends and found the victims lying unconscious with a crowd gathered around them. The identity of the assailants could not be ascertained,” Nongtnger said.
Only a day ago, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong, and Health Minister, AL Hek, had beseeched one and all to refrain themselves from giving the incident a communal colour.
The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) had also demanded immediate arrest of the perpetrators.
The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday night when three boys from Wahkaji village of South West Khasi Hills were allegedly assaulted at Golf Links. Out of the three, one was seriously injured and referred to NEIGRIHMS from Bethany Hospital.