By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 11: The Meghalaya Linguistic Minority Development Forum (MLMDF) has condemned the latest incident of ‘hate crime’ and has demanded a thorough probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the killings of non-tribal labourers in Shillong’s Mawlai Mawroh on April 10 and at Ichamati on March 27.
“A group of 5-6 persons in masks had mercilessly beaten to death one person identified as Arjun Ray, a permanent resident of Meghalaya, inside the site of building construction at Mawroh. Rajaram Mahato and Suresh Kumar Mahato were also assaulted, but they escaped and survived with injuries, adding to the growing list of tragedies plaguing our non-tribal Hindu community,” a statement from the MLMDF said.
The forum noted: “We have lost our faith in the successively elected governments in our state of Meghalaya. We deeply condemn both the unfortunate incidents of barbarism and killing of daily wage earners within the East Khasi Hills district.”
Adequate compensation must be given to the bereaved families of the deceased and free treatment to the injured, the MLMDF said.
“We urge the authorities to take immediate action in apprehending the entire gang of criminals responsible for these heinous acts. It is imperative that those responsible for perpetrating such violence are swiftly brought to justice to prevent further harm to our community,” it said.
The MLMDF urged the state police to work in tandem with the central probe agencies to bring the culprits to book.
The Gurugram-based Bongo Bhashi Mahasabha Foundation (BBMF) dispatched letters to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, the National Human Rights Commission, Governor Phagu Chauhan, and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma highlighting the brutal murders of Ishan Singh and Sujit Dutta at Ichamati, followed by the killing of Ray.
“It is deeply troubling to witness such senseless brutality inflicted upon innocent citizens going about their daily lives. The safety and security of our citizens are paramount, and incidents of this nature cannot be tolerated in any civilised society. We urge your government to take swift and decisive action to apprehend the perpetrators of these heinous crimes and ensure that justice is served swiftly,” the BBMF said.
The foundation demanded enhanced security measures in vulnerable areas such as construction sites to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
It also demanded adequate support and assistance to the families affected by these tragic events, both in terms of justice and rehabilitation.