The headman and other elders of Lumbangla village in East Jaiñtia Hills have pleaded with the district’s Superintendent of Police to take action against a bunch of thugs who have issued threats against them because the village withdrew support for a coke plant.
In a letter to the SP dated today, the Waheh Shnong, Heiplanmi Lyngdoh, said that the incidents of harassment and one of grave assault took place last month but the suspects, who were named in the complaint, are still wandering around freely.
As related by Lyngdoh, on the evening of December 2 four persons – Syrpai Sukhlain, Ebor Sukhlain, Tre Sukhlain and Pynshngain Sukhlain – arrived in Lumbangla and attacked the office bearers of the Dorbar Shnong with iron rods and wooden sticks. The village secretary, Niwan Langchiang, was gravely injured in that attack and had to be taken to hospital for treatment. The other elders fled into the surrounding forest. The suspects then allegedly threatened the dorbar and villagers.
Again, on December 22, the same four persons were seen by villagers at around 10pm in the village carrying iron rods and some other weapons searching for the village dorbar representatives and threatening to kill them. Fortunately, the elders were unharmed as they immediately fled into the jungle once the danger became known.
The cause of the violence is centred on a coke plant.
Syrpai Sukhlain had received permission from the previous Waheh Shnong, Milan Paslein, to set up a coke plant at Lumbangla but this was opposed by the dorbar, which then withdrew the permission. Lyngdoh believes that the gang attacked the village because of this to put pressure on its residents.
Two separate FIRs have been registered with police in Saipung but the suspects continue to remain at large, wandering freely and apparently without fear of the authorities.
