SHILLONG, Sep 6: Ka Sur Ki Nong Mawlai, an umbrella body of 11 organisations burnt the show-cause notices issued against six of its leaders during the knife surrender rally here on Monday.
A decision was also taken at the rally to give more than 500 surrendered knives to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma in exchange for the weapons and ammunition used by the police.
Further, the participants decided to intensify the agitation by forming a conglomeration of various organisations across the Khasi-Jaintia Hills by next week in case the government fails to comply with their demand.
They also warned that they might be forced to drag the Chief Minister out of his house if he continues to ignore their demand.
The umbrella organisation has been demanding the immediate suspension of the top police officers responsible for the death of former HNLC leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew in an alleged fake encounter on August 13.
“We are planning to hand over the 500-plus knives taken out of our kitchens and surrendered during the rally to the CM. We expect him to give us the weapons and ammunition since the police had claimed Thangkhiew had attacked them with a knife,” Ka Sur Ki Nong Mawlai member Donboklang Kharlyngdoh said.
He said the police should now be asked to use these knives while carrying out their operations.
“We can use the arms and ammunition of the police in our kitchen,” Kharlyngdoh said.
He said there is no question of replying to the show-cause notices issued by the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Isawanda Laloo. “Let the government first suspend the top police officers. We are forced to organise such protests due to the adamant attitude of the government,” Kharlyngdoh said.
The six leaders of the Mawlai body were asked to reply to the show-cause notices by Monday. Speaking in Garo, Kharlyngdoh warned the Chief Minister that if he continues to overlook their demands then it may lead to a situation where they would be forced to drag him out of his house.
He also said that they are not demanding anything impossible like bringing Simsang river or Nokrek peak to Mawlai. “We are only demanding suspension of the three police officials,” he added.
Hundreds of people took out the peaceful rally as part of the knife surrendering rally from Mawlai petrol pump to Mawlai stand bus. The protestors raised anti-police slogans.
As the rally passed through the various localities of Mawlai, residents came out of their homes and kept kitchen knives on the back of the pick-up truck.
KHNAM legislator from North Shillong, Adelbert Nongrum took part in the rally.
