HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem, vice president Donboklang Kharlyngdoh, and others booked under sections of IPC
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 23: The police have registered a case against top HYC leaders after members of the group dismantled some 80 dwellings at Lum Survey on Thursday.
A senior police official said they have booked HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem, vice president Donboklang Kharlyngdoh, assistant general secretary Issac Basaiawmoit and others under under relevant sections of the IPC.
“We are firm about initiating action according to the relevant provisions of the law. There is no exception in this regard,” East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, SC Sadhu said on Thursday.
He said the police and magistrates responded soon after receiving a report that members of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) went to dismantle the houses of the alleged illegal settlers at Lum Survey.
Sadhu said the incident should not have happened.
“Law and order is our prime concern. We request that nobody should take laws into their own hands. If there is any issue, they can always approach us as stakeholders and even the higher authorities in the state for an amicable solution. This kind of approach will create more law-and-order problems than solving it,” he said.
He said it is not easy to initiate any action since the land does not belong to the state government.
“We are in the process of arriving at an amicable solution. But what the HYC members have done today will further complicate things,” he added.
Sadhu said the district administration is working closely with various stakeholders since the plot of land at Lum Survey belongs to the Defence Estate Officer (DEO) based in Guwahati.
He also said the officials of the DEO, Shillong Cantonment Board, Shillong Municipal Board, magistrates, police, and members of the HYC were all present during the joint site inspection held two weeks back.
“After this, we prepared a report and some action had been initiated after discussions with the officials of the DEO based in Shillong,” he said.
He said the next hearing on the pending litigation on the said plot of land is on May 28. The DEO’s office is expected to place all the records, including that of the joint inspection, before the court according to its order.
“We are in the process of arriving at a solution and the allegations that the district administration is not acting are not true since this issue needs the involvement of all the stakeholders,” Sadhu said.
He said the legal team of the DEO’s office also advised that any step undertaken before the court hearing on May 28 might hamper the case.
When asked if any assistance would be provided to the people whose houses were dismantled on humanitarian grounds, the DC said that the district administration is ready to assist with the relocation of the affected people, especially children, pregnant women and anyone else in need of help.