By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 29: Former Cabinet minister Alexander Laloo Hek has called on the Meghalaya government to investigate a poster allegedly issued in the name of global terror group ISIS-K, which purportedly threatened the indigenous Garo community in West Garo Hills.
Expressing deep concern over the attempt to instil fear, Hek urged the Home Department, Chief Minister, Home Minister, and the MDA government to treat the matter with urgency. He also stressed the need for coordination with the Union Home Ministry.
“It is unacceptable for anyone in Meghalaya to be associated with such elements. The government must take decisive action to prevent panic and protect the state’s image,” Hek said. He noted that reports of ISIS-K’s presence in the region remain unverified and require careful investigation.
The controversy erupted after a poster, attributed to an individual identifying himself as Aminur Islam, “Plain Belt Area Commander”, was found on an electric pole near the New Tura Matchakolgre Field on Wednesday morning. Titled “Warning to Garos”, it reportedly threatened residents of Tura, Phulbari, Rajabala, Tikrikilla, Selsella, and Garobadha with eviction before 2027.
Earlier, the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, warning that the incident posed a serious threat to internal security, communal harmony, indigenous rights, and national sovereignty.
“This act, whether international terrorism or local intimidation, threatens India’s security and sovereignty,” said CoMSO chairman Roy Kupar Synrem. He condemned the use of a globally recognised terrorist organisation’s name, describing it as psychological warfare aimed at creating fear, destabilising a sensitive border state, and testing Indian security forces.
Synrem called for the immediate involvement of central counter-terror and intelligence agencies, a comprehensive investigation into the origin and intent of the threat, and a visible deployment of security forces to reassure the public.
“Our position is clear: the Garo people will not vacate their land. Garo Hills is integral to Meghalaya and inseparable from India. Any attempt to challenge this is an attack on the Indian Union itself,” Synrem added.
