The West Garo Hills district police have charged three persons under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Meghalaya (Maintenance of Public Order) Act and Prevention to Damage to Public Property Act in connection with the recent violence in Tura.
Labenn Ch Marak, Balkarin Marak and Bernita R. Marak have been slapped under the three stringent laws besides Sections 120-B, 121, 121A, 188, 307, 326, 353, 435, 511, 143, 147, 148, 149, 150, 153, 153-A, 155, 158 and 34 of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The three were the main organisers of the recent hunger strike at Tura which culminated in the violence outside the Chief Minister’s Office in Tura on July 24. So far 49 persons have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the violence.
Labenn Ch Marak and Balkarin Marak had staged the indefinite strike from July 11 near the Mini Secretariat in Tura to demand for winter capital and implementation of a backlog policy on reservation for Garos.
It may be mentioned that Labenn Ch Marak is a former MCS officer. He resigned from service in 2017 and contested as an Independent candidate in the Dadenggre seat against James Sangma in the 2018 Assembly elections. However, he lost the polls.
In the March 2023 Assembly elections, he was the Congress candidate in the South Tura constituency in the 2023 Assembly elections against Chief Minister Conrad Sangma but was defeated.
Balkarin Marak is the co-chairman of Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC) while Bernita R. Marak is the general secretary of A’chik Conscious Holistically Integrated Krima (ACHIK). She is also a lawyer.
Fearing arrest in connection with the Tura violence, the three persons have moved a bail application in the Meghalaya High Court.
However, during today’s hearing of their bail pleas, the bench of Justice Wanlura Diengdoh directed the State government to produce a copy of the case diary against the three persons at the next hearing on August 11.
