Stop extortion in GH

SHILLONG, MAR 22: Garo National Council (GNC) legislator Clifford R Marak urged the state government to intensify patrolling and prevent extortions by the ANVC, ANVC (B) and GNLA militants in Chokpot and other markets in Garo hills.

Marak also said the government must get in touch with the leaders of the ANVC and ANVC(B), which is in ceasefire mode, and asked them to direct their cadres to stop extorting money from businessmen and shopkeepers.

Taking part in the call attention motion during the ongoing budget session of the assembly, Marak said the government must take up the matter with the leaders of the outfits that are in ceasefire mode.

Meghalaya home minister Roshan Warjri assured the police will take necessary steps to thwart such extortion attempt. Buttering her claim that the security forces were on their toes to stop extortion she cited an incident on February 26 in Chokpot market where in there was lot of commotion and when the police consisting personnel from Chokpot police station and the SWAT inquired they found out that some ANVC (B) cadres were forcibly trying to extort money from dry fish merchants.

When the fish merchants refused to accede to the militants demand, the militants threatened to shoot them.

Warjri informed that on seeing the security forces the militants, however, took to their heels. She further said that intelligence inputs indicated that the persons who were involved in the extortion were over ground workers of ANVC (B) from Bolsal A’ ding village.

The police, Warjri, informed laid a trap on March 19 in the market area and arrested two over-ground workers identified as Lewin Marak and Pechong Marak while they were extorting money from the merchants and Rs 2270 and a mobile phone were recovered from their possession.

Warjri also informed that the overground workers were asked to contact Panseng an ANVC cadre and fixed Dagalgre as the meeting place for delivering the extorted money.

However the militants fled on sensing the presence of the police, Wajri informed and iterated that the security forces were on the job to stop extortions in Garo hills. – By Our Reporter