Iongkhuli residents clash with Assam police over electric poles

Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) member from Mawhati constituency, Charles Marngar was also allegedly manhandled by the Assam police during the incident.

This also came days after the border talks between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma was held in Shillong on July 23.

Both the Chief Ministers have agreed to again meet in Guwahati on August 6 besides going for a joint inspection to all the 12 areas of differences.

Assam police along with a magistrate from Kamrup district came to the Iongkhuli and objected to the MeECL erecting the electricity poles.

However the MDC along with local residents demonstrated strong opposition when the Assam police tried to forcibly strike down the electricity poles.

There were claims and counterclaims that nearly led the situation to go out of control.

While Assam officials claimed that the place where the MeECL had erected the electricity falls under the Assam territory, the local residents however refuted by saying that it was illegal encroachment by Assam in Meghalaya territory.

The local residents were also backed by the Meghalaya People Social Organization (MPSO).

During the incident, the Assam police and district officials of Kamrup refused to listen to the request of the Ri Bhoi Additional Deputy Commissioner R Kharbihkhiew and SP N Lamare and went ahead with their action.

Iongkhuli village falls under the Jirang constituency and Raid Marwet of Hima Mylliem.

Speaking over phone about the incident, Marngar said, “I told the Assam police and officials that the village is not under dispute and is very much within Meghalaya. I tried to stop them but they (Assam police) pulled and pushed me away and removed as many as 4 electricity poles.”

He added, “I also called Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong at around 3pm to inform about the incident but when I called him back at 3.24pm, there was no response. This has really affected me. I also informed the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.”

Asked, Marngar said that he would take up the matter with the KHADC CEM Titosstarwell Chyne tomorrow since the village falls under the jurisdiction of the council.

“The council has to take a decision on the illegal encroachment by Assam,” he added.

When contacted, Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner RM Kurbah said that the skirmish happened when MeECL was supposed to erect a few poles in Iongkhuli but they couldn’t do that from the Assam side had objected.

“We assessed the situation as there were a large number of women and men in the area and we didn’t want any breakdown of the law and order situation so we asked the MeECL to stop whatever work they were doing. The state government is also taking up the boundary dispute issue and talks are happening,” Kurbah said.

Asked about any injuries reported to the local residents of the area, the DC said she has not received any report yet from the officials on the site.  “I have not received any report and I am waiting for my Additional District Magistrate to come back from the site,” she added.