Shillong, Nov 20: A truck driver alleged that police coerced him into filing a trumped up FIR against his comrades during the strike action launched by the Meghalaya Commercial Truck Owners’ Association (MCTODA) recently.
Addressing a press conference here today, Banshemstar Mawthoh said that personnel of Mawryngkneng Police Station used him to turn against his fellow truck drivers by filing an FIR alleging that he was assaulted by his fellows on the morning of November 5.
Mawthoh said he signed the FIR that he claimed had been written by the police without understanding its contents. He also said that he later received a phone call threatening him not to withdraw the FIR.
Mawthoh addressed the press conference in the presence of Mosklandar Marngar, chairman of MCTODA. Marngar had been one of several MCTODA members who had been arrested by police but were later released on bail.
The incident on November 5 saw MCTODA members try to block cement trucks that were not adhering to the strike. These strike busting trucks were being accompanied by police when a scuffle broke out. Mawthoh said he did not blame his fellow truck drivers but the police used him to go after his comrades.
Others who were injured in the incident and present during the press conference said that the police used force that morning.
Meanwhile, Marngar said that no complaint or FIR will be made to the police or Meghalaya Human Rights Commission regarding the alleged police excesses in Mawryngkneng.
The MCTODA leader said that it was clear from the beginning of the strike that the cement companies formed a powerful lobby that stage-managed the whole operation until their members were injured during the police action on November 5.
