Brothers assaulted over water pipe in Tura

TURA, June 26: A resident of Tura and his elder sibling were allegedly beaten up on Sunday after they were called from their house on the pretext of a meeting that had been called against them by the president of a locality.
In an FIR filed at the Tura police station, the victim said there was an altercation on June 22 after he had sought the realignment of a water pipe that was going through his home. The president of the locality disagreed and started an argument.
The FIR was filed after the president’s wife, who was beside him, allegedly assaulted the complainant.
The situation took a turn for the worse after the matter reached the police with the president allegedly threatening the complainant and his brother with eviction. A few others in the locality reportedly joined the president.
The local police and the SP of West Garo Hills were informed about the threats. But the police apparently did not take the matter seriously, encouraging a few people to attack the brothers.
Earlier, a social media page titled ‘Salantini Kurang’ had called for teaching the siblings a lesson for filing a police complaint. A few allegations were also made against them.
The locality president also summoned a meeting of the NGOs of Tura following which the brothers were called out of their house. Notably, no one from the local development committee was present at the meeting.
The brothers said a group of 60-70 people pounced on them as soon as they emerged from their house. The unidentified assailants also snatched a gold chain, a gold ring and their mobile phones.
“We were asked to come to a meeting of the colony and when we did so, they began to thrash us. Our appeals to let us go or even listen to reason were not even heard. We are lucky to be alive,” one of the brothers said.
Both the brothers sustained multiple injuries and were taken by the Tura police for a medical check-up. Their condition is currently stable but the family said they feared more attacks.
Vivekananda Singh, the SP said a police team has been patrolling the area to offset any incident. He further said the case was under investigation and statements of both parties were being recorded.