Meghalaya Congress working president Ampareen Lyngdoh today stated that there is turmoil and a great sense of insecurity among the people living in the border areas of Meghalaya and Assam.
“The border conflicts have started to occur more frequently at present than before and if the MDA government does not dare to tell the neighbouring state to lay off, we are going to see more of these uncertainties,” she told this reporter.
Stating that the mutual respect factor is lacking on the part of Assam, she asked, “Why is our own police officer, who is supposed to be the defender of our lands and people, beaten up? Why is there this constant aggressiveness from one state and what has happened to our government?”
Instead of acting like a big brother, Assam is behaving more like a demigod by trying to push around the other, smaller, North East states, the East Shillong MLA said.
Meghalaya’s Deputy Superintendent of Police, Firoz Rahman, who was severely injured in a mob attack at the state’s border with Assam, alleged on Saturday that the Assam Police are “battle-ready” and that his assault may have been the result of instigation by some of Assam’s personnel.
Rahman, posted in the Ri-Bhoi, was dispatched by the district administration on Wednesday to oversee the situation at Umlaper, a day after local people had gheraoed a camp set up by the Assam Police.
“Acting on information that some trouble is brewing in the area, I and my team immediately left for that place. On reaching the disputed area, they (the mob) allowed us to enter but while coming back they blocked the road,” Rahman told PTI.
He said he expected the Assam Police to provide cover but they did not respond to the calls for help.
“They (Assam Police) were there but they did not respond to our calls for help. Local boys started assaulting us. The Nepalis and Karbi people came and started attacking me and my driver,” he said.
At present, the police officer is recuperating at a private hospital in Shillong.
On Tuesday, a team of the Ri-Bhoi Police and a contingent from Assam reached Umlaper after angry residents, mostly Khasis, dismantled a police camp set up in the area when two boys were beaten up the night before.
Rahman and his team were sent to the area again on Wednesday following reports of fresh trouble. It was at that time that they were attacked.
“They started assaulting us and my driver was thrown into the nearby paddy field. I somehow managed to run away for safety. If I hadn’t run away, they would’ve killed me!” he said.
“There was no provocation from our side. In fact, the same people talked nicely to us on Tuesday. But on Wednesday, they assaulted us. I think some Assam Police personnel may have provoked the crowd since they didn’t come when we sought their help,” he said.
Rahman also pointed out that the Assam Police personnel were in full gear during the mob attack.
“What was the intention (of the Assam Police) of wearing bulletproof jackets if they were not apprehending some trouble?” he said. “We tried to escape from the area but they (the mob) blocked our vehicle with some other vehicle. They hit me with a stone, and I got five-six stitches. My driver was also badly injured.”
