TURA, May 27: Four organisations from Tura have asked Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui to transfer West Garo Hills Superintendant of Police Vivekanand Singh Rathore from the district, a day after they were detained by the police, reportedly at the behest of the SP, for conducting raids on shops.
While the groups maintain that the detention was illegal, police have informed that the detention was made after ascertaining that they were involved in the raids at Rongram market.
“Information was received that some NGO members are seizing some items from shops in Rongram market. Accordingly, IC Rongram was deputed to cause an enquiry and take necessary action. During enquiry, it was ascertained that 7 members of FKJGP, ADE, AYWO and FAF seized some Biri packets from 3 shops and issued seizure lists also. Accordingly, all the seizure lists issued by NGOs were seized and 7 members travelling in 2 vehicles were detained and brought to Tura Police Station,” police said.
The police also informed that following the detention, around 15-20 members of the groups assembled near Tura Police Station and hurled slogans.
However, the groups maintained that the shops they raided were engaged in selling illegal items.
They, following the raids on several shops at Rongram market, seized bundles of bidis, which, according to the groups, were being sold without the MRP tag. They groups also alleged irregularities in payment of taxes.
“A total of 140 bundles and another 7 bundles of Pradip Bidi were seized from M/S Ram Brech Shah for failing to make tax payments and for selling the items without the MRP tag, while 111 bundles of Pradip Bidi and 8 bundles of Jai Hind Bidi were seized from the shop of Shri Chotelal Shah for incomplete tax payments and the absence of the MRP tag,” the groups said.
Another shop, belonging to one Jitendar Shah, from the same market was also raided from where the organisations reportedly seized 15 bundles of ‘Pradip Bidi’ for alleged tax irregularities and absence of MRP on the items.
Following the raid on the shops, the leaders of the groups, including FKJGP president Pritam Arengh, ADE president Dalseng Bira Ch Momin, FAF president Brinbal Sangma and AYWO president Sengbath Chambugong were detained for some time at the Tura Police Station.
Condemning the incident, the leaders maintained that they were not doing anything wrong but only trying to correct the wrong being done in the shops. Pointing out that the detention amounted to harassment; the leaders asked the home minister to transfer the SP from the district.
