NONGPOH: Following the attack on the residence of the Secretary of Hima Nongspung, Michael Warjri on Tuesday, it was learnt that the main target of the miscreants was to destroy the important documents regarding the ongoing construction of a PMGSY scheme as he is vocally against it. The scheme is implemented by the Assam government at the border villages falling under the jurisdiction of the Hima Nongspung in Ri Bhoi.
Besides damaging the documents, crops and other properties including an ambulance of the Hima Nongspung was also damaged in the attack by unknown miscreants.
After meeting the Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner, Michael Warjri’s daughter, Bandalin Rani spoke to the media and sought immediate intervention for release of her father from the custody of the Assam Police at Azara Police Station. She informed that the main reason for the attack is her father is against the implementation of a PMGSY road by the Assam Government in the border villages of Meghalaya. She added that her father had even filed a petition in the Meghalaya High Court in this regard and secured a stay order.
Rani also informed that her 76-year-old father is in a critical condition after he was being attacked by the mob and that she is not concerned about her damaged properties, but the health condition of her father is her priority.
Despite a stay order given by the Meghalaya High Court, the construction work of the PMGSY road by Assam is still going on which is against the order of the Court, Rani said.
Meanwhile NGO leaders comprising the FKJGP, HNYF and HYC on Wednesday visited the spot to get first hand report of the incident while expressing concern that such attack was carried out as an attempt to murder the Secretary of Hima Nongspung. The leaders also blamed the apathy of the state government to resolve the long pending boundary dispute which is the root cause of the recurring incidents.
They further demanded that the perpetrators should be brought to book and that the government should take full responsibility if any untoward incident especially loss of lives occurs in the near future.
A delegation of the NGO leaders will also meet Home Minister James Sangma to discuss about the incident and the boundary issue.
