By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Home Minister Roshan Warjri assured the Assembly on Friday that steps will be taken to end the extortion drive of various militants and their overground workers in Garo Hills.
Replying to a call attention motion moved by Clifford R Marak (GNC) on the extortion being carried out by the ANVC (B) militants in his constituency, Chokpot, as reported in Salantini Janera on March 7, the Home Minister said that official records indicate that on February 26 during business hours in the market at Chokpot, located near the bank of Dareng river, there was a commotion at about 12.30 PM with people running helter-skelter in different directions.
On noticing such abnormal behavior, the police officer in-charge of Chokpot police station along with SWAT personnel who were performing traffic and law and order duties near the market area intervened and enquired into the matter.
On enquiry, they came to learn that some ANVC (B) cadres were trying to forcibly collect money from the dry fish merchants.
According to the Home Minister, it was learnt that when some of the merchants refused to accede to their demands, the ANVC (B) cadres threatened to shoot them.
Fearing for their lives, the public, who witnessed the incident along with the merchants, started running, thereby creating confusion in the market place.
She said on seeing the police officer in charge of Chokpot police station along with the
SWAT personnel, the ANVC (B) cadres fled across the river.
Though police gave a hot pursuit, the cadres escaped.
As per police reports, the
persons who were involved in the extortion were overground workers of ANVC (B) from Bolsal Ading village. The police tried their best to apprehend the overground workers from the village but in vain.
The Home Minister said that anticipating that the same overground workers were likely to repeat their extortion activities on the market day, police laid a trap in the market area on March 19.
At around 8.45 AM, after receiving information of their presence, police were able to apprehend two overground workers – Lewin Marak and Pechong Marak – while they were collecting money from the merchants. An amount of Rs 2,270 and a cell phone were recovered from their possession.
On checking the cell phone, police found the number of Panseng, a hardcore ANVC (B) cadre, Warjri said, adding that the overground workers were asked to contact Panseng from the seized mobile phone and to fix the place at Dagalgre for delivering the extorted money.
Subsequently, at around 9.45 AM, the overground workers were sent to meet one Darong under the protection of plain cloth police personnel.
Sensing police presence, Panseng, who came along with Anith Marak and other unidentified ANVC (B) cadres, started firing indiscriminately, the Home Minister said.
Police retaliated, but the ANVC (B) cadres fled towards the dense jungle. No casualty was reported from either side. The two overground workers were arrested and a case was registered against them.
The Home Minister said that it is not justified to conclude that the police were not available when they were most needed by the people at Chokpot during the extortion activities of the militants.
“The very fact that the ANVC (B) cadres had to flee from the market area was due to the timely presence and intervention of the police,” Warjri said.
The very fact that police were able to effect the arrest of the two overground workers is indicative of their persistence and relentless efforts to ensure that persons accused of indulging in acts of extortion from the public are brought to book, Warjri asserted.
The fact that exchange of fire had to be resorted to in retaliation against the ANVC (B) cadres
is sufficient proof of the fact that the State Police is serious about its commitment to protect the lives of the people and to ensure that such illegal acts are not allowed to be perpetrated anywhere in the State, she added.
