By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 7: Cabinet Minister and East Shillong legislator, Ampareen Lyngdoh on Friday insisted that the Laitumkhrah incident was not a communal one but a drunken brawl gone wrong.
She expressed concern over such brawls taking place in the popular places of the city.
“This is not fair. We appreciate that young people need a place to meet every evening and the same thing is happening in Khyndailad. Brawls happening in popular areas where the young people like to hang out are not giving us peace,” Lyngdoh said.
She admitted Shillong lacks enough space for young people to hang out but situations like that in Laitumkhrah “cannot be allowed” to spiral into “anarchy”.
She said many citizens are averse to roadside gatherings of young people but the government felt there was no harm if they do not disrupt the peace.
“Unfortunately, last night’s incident clearly shows that our generosity has been taken advantage of and that is what concerns me as an MLA,” she added.
Lyngdoh said she met the superintendent of police regarding the incident.
“The information given to me is that two groups had a brawl at a junction in one of the lanes around this popular spot in my constituency (East Shillong) and it went out of hand. One of the groups filed an FIR which was accepted. The other group also asked the officer in charge to accept their FIR,” she said.
“The second group did not allow the first group to file the FIR. It was never a communal thing. It was just that in the late hours of the night, people were intoxicated and their tempers went out of control,” she added.
“There was more confusion when a sentry of the CRPF was also apparently attacked and his weapon almost snatched,” Lyngdoh said, adding that someone added fuel to the fire by throwing a lighted cigarette on a vehicle.
“My request to the police is no one is above the law. Anyone responsible for any wrong action has to be taken to task,” she said.
She also said the police would be working on the CCTV footage they have to bring the culprits to book.
She said Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home department, Prestone Tynsong has already directed the police to take control of the situation and to prepare a report of what exactly transpired.
Laitumkhrah-Malki MDC, Fantin J. Lakadong urged the youth not to take the law in their hands.
“We need to behave responsibly since such incidents will affect the peaceful atmosphere of the locality and the city,” Lakadong added.
Former Inspector General, Mariahom Kharkrang condemned the attack on the police station.
“You go to a police station to resolve your disputes but later you target the very institution which is supposed to act as the arbiter in the dispute and this is not acceptable,” he said.
He added that such incidents portray the city and the state in bad light.