SHILLONG, Oct 28: Abject failure of the district administration and the Police department in taking pre-emptive action was on full display on the streets of Shillong as protesters flagrantly made a mockery of the law and assaulted innocent bystanders.
The violent attack on the passers-by raises pertinent question on the inadequate deployment of police personnel on the ground. History bears witness to such kinds of rallies turning violent in the state.
Questions are being raised on why the district administration granted permission for the rally in the peak hours of the day during school hours and why the law-and-order machinery and the Police department remained mute spectators to the violent acts of masked youths.
At GS Road, a biker was assaulted by two persons. A policeman, who was in full gear, was standing nearby. “We have no power. We saw everything but we received no order to act,” the cop said.
The police inaction on Friday was in stark contrast to the use of force by the men in uniform against unarmed teachers and their families, including women and children, on October 6. Police then had fired tear-gas shells and baton-charged the teachers who were peacefully marching towards the Secretariat.
While the Director-General of Police and the Inspector-General (Law and Order) were not available for comments, a senior police official told The Shillong Times on condition of anonymity that police personnel had been deployed along the vulnerable points.
“But the procession was long and traffic could not be held up due to school hours,” the officer said.
East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Isawanda Laloo did not respond to the questions forwarded by TST on the law-and-order breakdown and the permission granted for the rally.
A PTI report quoted her saying: “We have issued a show cause notice to the organisation for violating the conditions necessary to conduct a public rally.”
The DC also said police have also been directed to take action against those involved in the violent attacks that caused minor injuries to a few pedestrian and two-wheeler riders, PTI reported.
After failing to forestall the violence, the state police on Friday evening registered two suo motu cases at Laitumkhrah and Sadar police stations on the physical assaults and vandalism on pedestrians and commuters that took place during the rally.
The failure of the police and the district administration was made worse by the stony silence of the ruling dispensation.
When journalists approached Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma for his reaction on the violence, he made a quick exit saying he had several meetings to attend.
Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui was not in town.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong spoke on the incident but his comments were rhetorical.
He said: “The police are on the job and following their inputs the government will initiate its course of action. As far as the issue of law and order is concerned we have authorised the police to take necessary steps.”
He was silent on why police did not take necessary action to prevent the violence.
On questions being raised against the district administration and the police for their poor handling of the situation, he said, “The rally was during the day and now it is over. I am sure that the district administration has done their assessment with police, and the situation should be under control.”
Giving a message to the outfit and NGOs, Tynsong said that they can conduct a peaceful rally, without creating any law and order situation.
“The message is very clear that you can have a peaceful rally or meeting, but please do not create a law and order situation. I request all the leaders of FKJGP and other NGO leaders, you can have your meeting, but at the same time, please control your members. We don’t want any law and order situation in the state,” he said.
None of the political parties in the state, save the United Democratic Party, condemned the mayhem on the city’s streets on Friday.
