Angry residents of Hima Sohiong today broke the gate of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) after they tried to enter the office to pursue with the demand to remove their Lyngdoh (chief) over a land deal.
The residents under the banner of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Hima Sohiong had marched to the KHADC with black flags and sloganeering with a demand to remove Bashemphang Thabah, the Lyngdoh of Hima Sohiong over land he signed away to Hima Jirang.
The members of the JAC were denied entry to meet Chief Executive Member, Titostarwell Chyne and Executive Member (Elaka), Jambor War. This angered them and they pulled the steel shutter gate till it got detached.
Police intervened to deescalate the situation and protestors were asked to leave.
The JAC had accused Thabah of secretly handing over Nongwah- Mawtamur to Hima Jirang without the consent of the Dorbar Hima Sohiong. The handover was approved by the executive committee of the KHADC on August 6, 2015.
According to the JAC this was done without following proper procedures, which included getting the consent of the people. They said that the handover will complicate the efforts to resolve the border dispute between Meghalaya and Assam as all the land documents of Nongwah-Mawtamur are in the possession of Hima Sohiong.
A complaint was also filed with the KHADC in September 2019 (which also called for Thabah’s removal), with a reminder the following month, but Hima Sohiong did not get a response, despite promises from the Executive Member in charge of Elaka.
