Goalgaon violence
From Our Correspondent
BAGHMARA, April 11: Social activist Greneth Sangma on Saturday issued a sharp rebuttal to the FIR filed against him by the ACHIK organisation, alleging that the group’s leadership is engaging in extortion and inciting communal tension for personal gain.
ACHIK had filed an FIR against Sangma at the Shallang Police Station in West Khasi Hills on April 9.
In a press communiqué, Sangma termed the complaint “malicious” and questioned why the organisation, headquartered in Tura, chose to file the case in a different district.
“This is a calculated attempt to use the legal system as a tool for harassment. If their grievances were legitimate, they would have approached the Tura Police Station, where both parties reside,” he stated.
Sangma, a former founder and vice president of ACHIK, claimed he resigned because the organisation began “betraying A.chik values” by inciting ethnic conflicts.
He made an explosive allegation regarding the recent incident in Goalgaon, where ACHIK member Dilseng Sangma was killed in a mob attack.
According to Greneth Sangma, the underlying cause of the tension was a demand for Rs 15 lakh made by ACHIK members from quarry owners.
“The public must ask: if ACHIK were genuinely concerned about the illegal operation of stone quarries, why did they not inform the relevant authorities?” he asked, alleging that the group instead chose to make deals with quarry owners for “personal profit”.
He further alleged that on the day of the fatal encounter, ACHIK members went to the site voluntarily to collect a predetermined sum of money rather than to conduct a genuine inspection for public welfare. “The greed and ego of the organisation have recklessly endangered our tribe members. Lives have already been lost as a direct result of these self-serving manoeuvres,” he added.
Addressing a leaked phone conversation that reportedly formed the basis of ACHIK’s complaint, Sangma said he has filed a separate FIR against a resident for recording and circulating the private call without his consent on March 24.
He accused the individual of falsely labelling him a police informant to create social disharmony.
Sangma also accused ACHIK of “selective advocacy”, noting they remained silent for nine days after Dilseng Sangma’s death and have largely abandoned the case of another murdered member, Dipok Marak.
He characterised their recent activities as a strategy for “organisational recovery” rather than a pursuit of justice.
Concluding his statement, Sangma called on authorities to investigate the organisation’s headquarters and arrest leaders for “misleading the Garo society”.
He added that he intends to file a formal FIR against ACHIK to bring the full facts to light.
