SHILLONG, July 14: Tension prevailed in Nongmynsong area here on Wednesday following a frenzied violent reaction to what appeared to be a drunken brawl between two persons belonging to two ethnic groups on the previous night. The rampaging group which was out to retaliate after a youth was assaulted in the brawl, left a number of policemen injured and cars damaged due to stone pelting.
Police patrolling and peace brokering exercises were on as the incident carried the potentiality of escalating into a communal pogrom.
East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Sylvester Nongtnger in a statement informed that the police received the information around 11:00 pm alleging of an assault by some non-tribals at Nongmynsong.
“Two persons were found in the area in an inebriated condition and taken to the thana for medical examination. Later, a crowd gathered at Nongmynsong OP and started assaulting one of the two persons picked up and abused the Police Personnel and CRPF personnel on duty at the Out Post and also pelted stones thereby damaging two Police vehicles, three private cars, four wheeler vehicles and three two wheelers. Three CRPF personnel have sustained injuries on their person,” he stated.
A case has been registered vide Rynjah PS Case No. 76(07)2021 WS143/145/325/332/353/427/188/34 IPC R/W Sec 51 of Disaster Management Act, Sec 3 of Epidemic Act, 1897 and Sec 3 PDPI Act, 1984. “Investigation is on to ascertain more facts into the ease and enquiry is on to ascertain the veracity of the allegation of assault which sparked the issue,” he added.
He further informed that a Community Liaison Group meeting was held on Wednesday at Nongmynsong Out Post between the various community stakeholders where they have undertaken to work towards peace and harmony in the area.
Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said that the alleged assault case in Nongmynsong is not communal and cautioned everyone to restrain from spreading false narratives or else they will be taken to task.
The Home Minister informed that the police were informed about some people in an inebriated condition creating nuisance in a locality and when they reached the spot they found two person-one an orderly of the Director General of Police, Dadonboklang Khongwir and the other named Henry Kharkongor.
He said that soon after the police picked them up and took them to Nongmynsong Beat House a huge crowd numbering about 50-60 came to the police outpost and there was commotion in which few vehicles were vandalized. One CRPF personnel was injured and taken to hospital.
The Home Minister informed that the police, residents and the Shnong with their active participation were able to control the situation and that a case has been registered and investigation is on.
“I stress that the police should act swiftly so that people do not get a chance to create misunderstandings or create a false narrative to their own advantage,” he added.
Stating that the official version is important to avoid such incidents, Rymbui said, “From the beginning dissemination of the particular incident should be given by the police so that these rumor mongers does not have the time to spread their own version”.
“It is wrong to paint everything as communal. I am not talking just about Nongmynsong but wherever any incident occurs the police should act swiftly so that no one gets a chance to spread the wrong narrative, otherwise a minor situation may conflate into something else,” said Rymbui.
Meanwhile, when contacted, KSU president, Lambokstar Marngar informed that they had immediately gone to Nongmynsong after being informed that two local youth had been assaulted.
He said that they had intentionally gone to Nongmynsong since it is not the first time that they had received information about the assault against the local youth by the non-locals in the area.
“We saw a large crowd gathered at Nongmynsong outpost. At that moment, our priority was to calm down the crowd to prevent any kind of violent incident,” Marngar said.
The KSU president however observed that it is unfortunate that the police are yet to arrest the non-local person who had allegedly assaulted the two Khasi youths.
“We urge the police to arrest the culprit who is responsible for this incident,” he stated.
Marngar said that the students’ body will not tolerate repeated attacks on the local indigenous population adding that the police need to ensure that this kind of unwanted incident does not take place.
“We should not be blamed if we have to react to protect our own people,” the KSU president added.
Recalling the incident, a resident of Lumshyiap locality of Nongmynsong near BSF camp, Dora Dkhar said, “From all that I know, two of them, likely friends, were in an inebriated condition and fighting among themselves and later hurled expletives at the compound people and the commotion started. But no one touched them and mostly it was we women who had come out”.
“She said that out of the two one person disappeared. I asked him to go home but he was hurling abuses and soon the police arrived and took him away. We were asked to go back to our houses,” she said.
She said that the matter did not end there as the one who had escaped soon returned with a mob and started pelting stones and hurling abuses at the residents.
Another resident of the locality, Rebecca Thapa said, “The police who were immediately informed, soon reached the spot but by then one of the two ran away who later returned with a mob pelted stones and kicked at the doors of the residents”.
Asked whether the boys were beaten up, she said that apart from the few heated exchange of words objecting about them hurling abusive words no one assaulted them but was in fact told to go home however the boy who had escaped seeing the residents gathered was trying to give it a communal colour.
“You can verify from the police and the locals from the locality that they were initially fighting among themselves ad hurling slangs on top of their voice,” she added.
She further said that the fear had gripped the residents of the locality after last night’s vandalism.
