SHILLONG, SEPT 10: The Sur Ki Nong Mawlai on Friday staged a surprise ‘knife surrender’ protest in front of the Secretariat demanding the state government to immediately suspend the top police officials for free and fair investigation into the alleged killing of the former Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) leader Cherishterfield Thangkhiew.
Several knives were dumped at the gate of the Secretariat by leaders of the Sur Ki Nong Mawlai amid tight security. The surprise protest was also held during the first day of the Assembly’s autumn session.
It was also followed by a sit-in-demonstration with protesters displaying placards and shouting anti-government slogans. Some of the placards read “The MDA govt should immediately suspend the three top cops – the DGP, SP of East Jaintia Hills and SP Traffic Shillong” and “We want justice for Cheristerfield Thangkhiew”
Speaking at the sidelines of the protest, HYC leader Donbok Kharlyngdoh slammed the Conrad K Sangma-led government for its indifferent attitude towards the demand of the people to suspend the top police officials.
“The public have failed to understand why the chief minister is delaying to take action to immediately suspend the three police officials but instead is insisting to wait on the inquiry report,” he said.
The demand was also made after the people of Mawlai refused to accept the police side of the story that Thangkhiew was trying to attack the police team with a knife before one of them open fired at him during the raid conducted on August 13 early morning.
Kharlyngdoh said that the demand for suspension is not something which the state government or the chief minister cannot do.
“Therefore we strongly demand that the top officials of the police department be suspended immediately to allow investigation into the incident without any influences from those in power,” he added.
Meanwhile, Marbud Dkhar appealed to all political parties to pressurize the Chief Minister to announce the suspension of the top police officials on the floor of the House during the current autumn session of the Assembly.
“We also send a clear message that we will continue to come out to the street and surrender more knives everyday till the state government is ready to respect and listen to the voice of the people which is to suspend the said police officials,” Dkhar said.
By Our Reporter
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