In a brazen display of lawlessness and attempt to intimidate, a group of goons on February 20 night attacked the wife and brother-in-laws of Umroi MLA George B. Lyngdoh and despite several phone calls to the police no help came.
The shocking incident which has gone viral on social media has evoked strong condemnation from many people.
In a complaint filed at the Khapmara police outpost, Therezia A. Syiem, wife of the MLA, said that on February 20 night a white Maruti car bearing registration number ML05-L-4234 appeared outside her house at around 12:15 am on February 20 playing loud music. She also said that she peeped from the window to find out who was creating nuisance.
Syiem said that the moment they saw her, they started abusing her using filthy language for almost one hour.
“The music was so loud and unbearable and due to the said nuisance, my husband George B. Lyngdoh also woke up from his bed and immediately tried to report about the same to the in-charge of Khapmara ICP Sunny Lynrah at 1:18 am and 1:20 am. However, unfortunately, on both occasions, the said police officer did not respond to my husband’s phone calls (did not pick up the phone),” she said.
Having no other option, Syiem said she approached the car requesting the three occupants to reduce the volume as her three-year-old son was unwell. However, she was assaulted by one of them identified as Khlainbor Mawlong of Umroi Nongrah who tried to drag her inside the car leading to multiple physical injuries.
When her brothers stepped out to help her, the rowdy gang drove away. Syiem said that she along with her brothers followed the gang in a car driven by Kitboklang Rynghang.
However, much to their dismay, they were intercepted by a larger group at the Umroi Nongrah village where the culprits viciously attacked Syiem and her brothers and also damaged Rynghang’s car.
Syiem said that the group physically assaulted her and her brothers, including the driver of the vehicle Rynghang. She also said that the group had also outraged her modesty.
Stating that one person identified as Wilson Shadap kicked her on her legs and stomach, Syiem said that others were provoking the gathering/their friends to kill her brother Jeremy Danny Syiem by putting a rope around his neck and dragged him towards the crowd.
Syiem, her brothers and their driver managed to escape the spot and drove back to her house in Umroi Labansaro village.
However, the miscreants followed them back in the same white Maruti car and created nuisance yet again by playing loud music outside Syiem’s house. Despite her husband making two calls to the police between 3 to 4 am, no help was sent to protect the family from the unruly gang outside their house.
“It appeared that the police intentionally did not turn up so that those individuals involved in the incident could carry out their nefarious motive. It is unfortunate to point out that if the police had taken cognisance on the basis of information given by my husband, the said culprit(s) could have been arrested for creating nuisance, physically assaulting, and outraging the modesty of a woman,” the complainant wrote.
She also added that the incident came only a few weeks after a WhatsApp message was circulated by a person from Umroi Nongrah asking people from the village to inform them if the Umroi MLA comes to conduct house visits in the area.
Syiem said that it was apparent from the WhatsApp message that the person had some ill-motives against her and her husband.
Seeking immediate arrest of the culprits involved in assaulting her, Syiem also sent copies of the FIR to the Election Commission, Chief Electoral Officer, Returning Officer for Umroi constituency, Director General of Police, Superintendent of Police of Ri-Bhoi, National Commission for Women and the media.
