Land grab slur

SHILLONG, MAY 15: A former headman of a village in Ri Bhoi District was accused of allegedly grabbing lands belonging to two villagers.

Barnabas Lyngdoh, who was the Rangbah Shnong and Sordar of Khyndewso village under Raid Thadrang during 2008-2010, grabbed the lands of Holen Kyrwa and Shlik Suting despite of having valid land documents.

The lands were given by Dorbar of Hima Khyriem to the two villagers in 2005 for cultivation purposes.

Addressing a press conference held here, Kyrwa said that the former headman had forcibly taken away the lands at Mawranap-Mawsati and Lum Kynjoin which belonged to him and his daughter Sitawanbha Mynsong.

“While I had registered these lands in 2005, Lyngdoh however claimed that he had also registered the same lands in 2008,” he said while informing that they were no longer allowed to carry agricultural activities due to this interference.

On the other hand, Suting said that the former headman took advantage when a fire incident destroyed his house.

He said that they had sought the intervention of the dorbar shnong, which had even issued summon to Lyngdoh, who however failed to pay heed to the direction.

Meanwhile, the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) Raid Nongtung Circle had also intervened into the matter on the complaint made by the two villagers.

Its president, Hercules Suting told reporters that the former headman had also failed to cooperate with the organization by refusing to resolve the problem.

“Based from the land documents, it clearly indicated that the two villagers are rightful owners of the lands,” he said while informing that the Council has also issued strong warning against Lyngdoh to refrain from such illegal activity.

Asked, he said that they would soon sought the intervention of the Syiem on the matter to ensure poor villagers are not deprived and harassed by vested interests.