Lapangap villagers plead for farmers’ safety from Assam Police ‘harassment’
SHILLONG, May 13: Caught between the aggression of Assam Police in their fields and the pepper spray of Meghalaya Police on the streets of Shillong, the farmers of Lapangap on Wednesday laid bare the human cost of the state’s dragging border negotiations.
Hundreds of villagers from the West Jaintia Hills border flashpoint, supported by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) and other Jaintia Hills-based organisations, marched toward the Secretariat here.
The demonstration, intended to highlight the paralysis of agricultural life in Lapangap, turned chaotic at IGP Point when Meghalaya Police intercepted the procession.
As protesters attempted to push through the cordon, police deployed pepper spray and used batons to disperse the crowd. The confrontation saw protesters using flag poles to resist the police action. At least one villager required medical attention after being hit by pepper spray, while several others were injured in the ensuing scuffle.
The violence in the heart of the capital underscored a bitter irony for the border residents. “The villagers of Lapangap did not come here to create trouble; they came for justice,” said KSU West Jaintia Hills president Laitphar Syngkrem. “When they go to their fields, they face harassment from Assam Police. When they come to Shillong, they are met with force from their own police.”
The villagers are demanding the immediate relocation of an Assam Police camp from Lum Pynthor and the deployment of permanent Meghalaya security forces to protect their right to farm. A significant point of contention raised by the protesters is the “GPS boundary line” reflected on Google Maps, which they claim is being used by Assam authorities to encroach upon 6th Schedule land. They have demanded that the Meghalaya government officially contest these digital demarcations.
The conflict in Lapangap has simmered since 2023, with residents alleging that Karbi populations, backed by Assam Police, have systematically prevented them from harvesting crops.
Following the clash, a delegation led by Lapangap headman Deimonmi Lyngdoh and student leaders was granted an audience with Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar.
“Our farmers are still unable to cultivate due to fear and tension. We are here to ask the government how we are supposed to survive if we cannot touch our own soil,” Lyngdoh said.
While the protest was called off after the government provided fresh assurances that adequate security forces would be deployed to the area, many villagers remained skeptical. KSU Nartiang Circle president Chanbor War noted that numerous previous meetings between the administrations of West Jaintia Hills and West Karbi Anglong have failed to yield results on the ground.
As the villagers return to the border, the question remains whether the Secretariat’s latest assurances will translate into the safety required for the upcoming sowing season.
