NONGSTOIN: Braving all odds, thousands of villagers and scores of local traders under the banner of Achik Indigenous People & Peace Forum (AIPPF) came out in protest against the rise in cases of extortion and kidnapping in Shallang area on Friday.
A huge public meeting was held at Shallang while was attended by West Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police S. Kharlyngdoh.
AIPPF member Ioanis Sangma thanked the people of Shallang for their participation and admired their bravery for defying the militants to attend the public meeting. He appealed to all the Garo militant outfits to stop harassing and kidnapping innocent people and added that their illegal activities in the area has affected the lives of innocent citizens.
James Sohbar, a local resident of the area, said not only the coal traders but even the shopkeepers were afraid of the Garo outfits. “Even little children on their way to school now are in constant fear of being kidnapped,” he added.
He also mentioned that coal traders and other businessmen were afraid to set up business in Shallang because of the rise in cases of abduction by militant groups and petty criminals.
“We have suffered a lot and many abduction cases have occurred in and around Shallang. We now ask the Garo Hills based militants to stop interfering in our area,” Sohbar said.
The district police chief, while addressing the meeting, praised the efforts of residents of Shallang in organising such an important meeting to show to the world that people in Shallang needed peace.
He also urged the local people to cooperate and work together with the police to fight against the militancy.
He also assured that cooperation between the police and residents of Shallang will result in normalcy and peace being restored in the area once again.
