From Our Correspondent
TURA: Coming under the single banner of Peoples’ Movement for Democratic Rights (PMDR) to fight against alleged police atrocities in Garo Hills, various NGOs from the region jointly held a public meeting on Tuesday morning at Chandmari Playground Tura where hundreds of civilians came forward to participate.
Allegedly, incidents of police atrocities and high-handedness have risen significantly in the Garo Hills region and various rights of the people are being violated by the very force which is meant to uphold and protect it.
The NGOs stated that of late, many people from various parts of Garo Hills are becoming victims of police officials who are exercising extra powers than what the law permits them to and instead of protecting the public they have become the harassers and law-breakers themselves.
According to allegations, incidents of police high-handedness in Tura started when the present West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police (SP) and Tura town branch incharge were given their respective charges.
“Even normal civilians of the town are being harassed and victimized. For instance, during checkings at night the police unnecessarily point their guns at innocent civilians and that is wrong,” the NGOs said.
The NGOs informed that there have been incidents where the documents of people’s vehicles have been taken away by the cops and in one such case the Tura town Branch In-Charge, Bitching N Marak even burned the legal documents of a bike.
At the meeting it was also said that the SP, Mukesh Kumar Singh had taken an innocent civilian and physically assaulted him along with his security personnel causing the man much injury and distress.
Several victims of police high-handedness also shared their unpleasant and disagreeable experiences with the police and how they had become victims of arrogant and ignorant police officials.
Meanwhile, NGOs from Dadenggre said that the people of the area are also facing a somewhat similar fate in the hands of the police and are being harassed and violated. Recently, a woman was allegedly assaulted by police personnel of Dadenggre and she had approached the NGOs herself and had shown them the bruises and marks all over her body inflicted by the police.
At the end of the meeting, the NGOs resolved that if any incidents of police high-handedness or police atrocities take place in Garo Hills, they would take steps in unity for justice and fight such atrocities.
