SHILLONG, July 3: The Dorbar Shnong Jaiaw Pyllun (DSJP) and the units of three pressure groups have begun patrolling the Jaiaw area in the backdrop of some incidents where the miscreants assaulted innocent persons.
The DSJP said by carrying out the patrolling, they want to send across a message that they will not tolerate any act of assault or violence against innocent passers-by in Jaiaw and other parts of Shillong.
DSJP chairman, PD Nongrum told The Shillong Times on Sunday that violence is unacceptable in a civilised society.
“We want to show that we strongly condemn any act of violence or attempt to hurt an innocent person or take away his life,” Nongrum said.
The DSJP comprises five Dorbar Shnong such as Jaiaw Laitdom, Jaiaw Langsning, Jaiaw Pdeng, Jaiaw Upper Lansonale and Jaiaw Shyiap Lumpyllon. Nongrum did not specify the pressure groups involved in the patrolling.
He said they become upset and feel ashamed whenever there is such an incident. He said they are working for close coordination among the Dorbar Shnong, Seng Kynthei, Seng Samla, police and the members of various pressure groups to prevent the incidents.
Nongrum expressed happiness that the police arrested eleven persons in connection with the attack on two students from Kerala on May 29. The arrests will act as a deterrent against other such criminals, he said.
“The police never made any arrest in similar cases in the past,” the DSJP chairman said.
He felt such incidents will now come down. He said the DSJP is not against police patrolling in the Jaiaw area.
“We favour such an exercise since it will help bring a sense of safety and security among the citizens. The people opposing it are those who have some evil motive,” he said.
He also said that he does not view the incidents as an organised crime.
“I view the incidents as an act of frustration. But beating up people to vent frustration and anger is not justified,” Nongrum said.
He said factors such as the lack of opportunities, unemployment, broken families and the high cost of education are reasons behind these incidents.
Stating that the society has a huge role to play to remove frustration and desperation among the youth, Nongrum said the state government also needs to make serious efforts to solve the problem.
He said the police should be the first to react whenever there is a crime.
“If the police make an arrest, it will act as a deterrent. Others will not dare commit a crime if the police are fast in filing a charge-sheet against the criminals,” the DSJP chairman said.
He said they had a meeting with the police sometime back. “We had discussed many issues. We stressed on the need to patrol the road from Jingthang Briew, Jaiaw till the junction leading to Ganesh Das Hospital, Lawmali since this is an isolated area,” Nongrum said.
He said the forest area at Lawmali is a den of criminal activities. People park their vehicles along this road to drink, he said.
“This road is unsafe for the citizens during the night hours. We had stressed that there is a need for police presence along this road. The police proposed another meeting. We are yet to fix the date,” he added.
