TURA, Sep 29: Registering strong opposition to plying of boulder trucks through the area and to condemn the killing of two innocent lives, all educational institutions under Greater Purakhasia area in West Garo Hills have decided to remain closed on September 30 in a bid to send a strong message to the government.
The decision for closure comes following a rally in the area on Wednesday in which thousands of people from the region comprising students, teachers, religious leaders, Nokmas and women’s groups took to the streets to condemn the killing of two innocent lives by overloaded boulder trucks in separate incidents recently.
In a peace rally organised by the Purakhasia Peace Committee, the crowd voiced strong opposition to the movement of boulder trucks, while recalling the loss of two lives in the hands of the vehicles. While a five-year-old Laksbath S Sangma was run over and killed by a boulder truck on September 25, another youth, Amsrang R Marak, allegedly also met the same fate earlier on September 12.
Wednesday’s rally demanded in one voice that the government immediately stop the export of boulders to Bangladesh through the area and that the culprits responsible for the loss of two innocent lives be booked at the earliest to give justice to the bereaved family members. The rally also criticised the government for failing to provide a mechanism to check and monitor the movement of the trucks.
Several speakers during the rally cautioned that while the people had remained silent in the wake of the twin tragedy, they would no longer tolerate the activity (movement of boulder trucks) and a stronger course of action would be taken in the future if the government ignores their pleas.
Meanwhile, it is worth mentioning that earlier on several occasions separate groups from the area had also opposed the movement of boulder trucks and submitted a number of memorandums to district authorities as well as to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
A women’s group from a particular village on one occasion, had also blocked the road to oppose the plying of the trucks but were forced to disperse after police arrived on the scene.