TURA: A tense situation occured at Garobadha town, 31 km from Tura, after a large group of angry youth surrounded the police station demanding the release of three men who had damaged a two-wheeler (scooty) of a trader and caused an altercation in an alleged inebriated condition late Thursday afternoon.
According to police, the incident reportedly took place at around 3 pm when the young men rammed their bike into a parked scooty belonging to a trader who was in his shop.
The three men, alleged to be drunk, had a scuffle with the trader when he asked that they should repair his scooty for the damage caused.
The bike used by the inebriated youth was reportedly without any documents.
Both parties were hauled up to the police station and the three men were taken for a check-up when word spread and a large group of people gathered outside demanding their release.
The situation became tense as shops downed their shutters hurriedly and panicked traders from the community hurried home even as police rushed in additional reinforcements to the area.
“The situation is under control and the three men have been released after the medical examination. Both sides have decided to settle the matter amicably following the intervention of church leaders and local elders,” informed West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police MGR Kumar while speaking to The Shillong Times on Thursday night.
Despite the assurance given, police are keeping a tight vigil with deployment of additional forces and night patrolling to deter troublemakers who may try and take advantage of the situation.
In recent times, there are worrying signs over the manner in which mob mentality has begun to set in across the region when trivial matters are blown out of proportion and violence is perpetrated with demands for street justice despite the law of the land being in existence.
