By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 26: The court of Judicial Magistrate First Class on Tuesday summoned five Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) leaders in connection with the April 4 incident at NEIGRIHMS where they had allegedly prevented Director Prof Nalin Mehta from doing his duty and attempted to forcibly shut down the Director’s Administrative Block.
After the incident, the police had filed an FIR suo motu against the five HYC leaders – Roy Kupar Synrem (president), Donboklang Kharlyngdoh (vice president), Rhembor G Saibon (general secretary), Issac W Basaiawmoit (secretary), and Enlang Sawian (education secretary). Later, a charge sheet was filed against them.
Synrem told reporters they came to know after appearing before the court that the chargesheet was filed by the police within two months since the FIR was registered. He said they were booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
According to him, the charges against them were that they had criminally intimidated the NEIGRIHMS Director and staff, committed an offence of criminal trespass and assault, and prevented the Director from doing his duty as a public servant.
Stating that they have received the copies of the chargesheet NEIGRIHMS ruckus: 5 HYC leaders…
(Contd from P-1) and all other documents, Synrem said they will take part in the trial. He expressed the hope that they will get justice.
“We stand by our decision that HYC will stand for the welfare of the locals and the indigenous youth. We will stand to fight in their interest. These kinds of cases or complaints against us will not deter us from taking up matters regarding job opportunities for the indigenous youth,” he said.
Recalling that they had given an ultimatum to the NEIGRIHMS Director to reply to their demands within seven days, Synrem said after the deadline ended on April 3, they had visited the institute on April 4 to seek a clarification from the Director as to why he did not give a reply.
Synrem said the HYC members, along with its supporters, had gone into the Administration Block of NEIGRIHMS with an intention to meet the Director, but were prevented.
“After we had a discussion with the staff and the security personnel, we went inside the room of the Director. We requested him to come out of his room so he can explain to our members and supporters as to what happened to our demands,” Synrem said.
Stating that the NEIGRIHMS Director had voluntarily come out of his office chamber, he said the Director informed them that the letter or the reply was ready and it would be handed over to them on that day itself.
“After one and a half hours we waited there, the reply from the Director came, and it was delivered to us. After getting that reply, we again went and met the Director, along with his official, in the conference room, and the meeting ended cordially,” he said.
It may be recalled that when the HYC leaders were exiting the NEIGRIHMS on that day, the police had asked them to report to the Mawdiangdiang police outpost. After recording their statements, the police allowed the five to leave.
The HYC had accused the NEIGRIHMS Director of violating the ST reservation policies, claiming that only two out of 107 vacancies for Nursing Officer positions were reserved for ST candidates, instead of the required 7.5% reservation (eight seats).