Meghalaya police were guilty of slackness in responding to the confrontation at Mukroh, West Jaintia Hills, yesterday, which led to the deaths of six people when Assam police fired at a crowd.
This was stated today by the president of the Synjuk Ki Nongsynshar Shnong Nongthymmai Pyllun, which also strongly condemned the actions of the Assam authorities.
Bantylli Nari, the Rangbah Shnong of Nongrim Hills, said, going by the videos circulating in the public domain, that the police personnel from Assam responded to the commotion in a very short span of time but the police forces from Meghalaya were not seen attending to and helping the people of the state.
“This only shows that the slackness of our police forces and it’s high time that the government of Meghalaya should take steps and the police forces should be well prepared anytime, at any point of time or at any juncture where and when it is required in these areas of conflict like the Blocks 1, 2, etc,” he said, adding that village defence personnel could be utilised as the first line of defence if the government gives them proper training.
He also said that the ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased is too low as compensation for the death of a breadwinner and the government should instead give one government job to each family.
Nari further appealed to each and every citizen of the state to maintain peace as students are having their examinations.
