The Ri-Bhoi unit of the Khasi Students Union and the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong Border Area of Raid Nongtung met the Ri-Bhoi Deputy Commissioner and district Superintendent of Police yesterday in relation to the recent arrest of three Khasi youths from by Assam Police along the disputed border between Meghalaya and Assam.
The three were arrested earlier in the week from Umpaklong, supposedly for attempting to burn down a bridge. Residents, traditional leaders and the local MDC have been trying to get the state to push for the case to be transferred to Meghalaya.
Yesterday’s delegation met the DC, Arpit Upadhyaya, and SP, Giri Prasad. The main purpose of the meeting was to request the district administration to take up the matter seriously and urge the state government to engage with that of Assam to get the men released. The KSU said that the three have no history of criminal behaviour and are simple farmers and that the Assam police falsely arrested them. Being a disputed zone, Assam has no right to act unilaterally in the area, the traditional leaders of Raid Nongtung said, calling for a joint investigation.
