Two recent incidents of violent assault were not committed for communal reasons, Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui stated today, adding that police are on the hunt for the culprits.
The evening of January 20 saw at least three people seriously injured with sharp weapons by a gang in Lumdiengjri. Yesterday four to five people were assaulted in Jaiaw by a mob of two dozen men. All three in the former incident and four in the latter were non-tribals.
A police complaint has been filed in the Lumdiengjri assault but not, as of yet, in the Jaiaw case.
“There is no communal angle to these incidents. It is in the mind of the people,” Rymbui said. “Many people try to paint each and every incident as a communal issue. These incidents do not happen only here but only in Meghalaya are such incidents always painted with a communal colour.”
If the incidents are motivated by communalism or whatever factor, the minister said that the investigation should be allowed to get to the bottom of it and the law will take its course.
“Once we paint anything in communal colour, criminals will take refuge in that colour. They will then be emboldened to do anything that they want to try and harm peace and tranquillity in the state,” he added
