CM ask youths to surrender weapon snatched from police

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 16, 2021

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has asked the youths to surrender the weapon snatched from a police official during an arson incident on Sunday afternoon.

“All those people who are involved are asked to immediately give back the weapon,” Sangma told reporters on Monday.

The incident had taken place during the funeral of the former Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, who was gunned down by police team in his residence on August 13 early morning.  

A police vehicle (black Scorpio) belonging to Mawkynroh outpost was set ablaze at Jaiaw. Eye-witnesses informed that a group of youth after snatching the weapon of one of the police personnel seized the vehicle and took it for a ride before setting it on fire at Jaiaw.

The incidents are demonstration of people anger at the killing of Thangkhiew infront of his family and children.

Stating that the incident was completely unacceptable, the Chief Minister said that four police personnel who had deserted their weapons are already under suspension and inquiry against them has been set up.

“For a police, the arms and the weapons they carry are as good as part of their bodies. They should never ever let go of their weapon. What happen yesterday was unacceptable whether it is from the police personnel who were present out there or whether from the individuals who had taken them. Therefore, we are very firm on this and we will take firm action on this,” he said.

Asked, Sangma said no one has been arrested so far in connection with the incident.

Miscreants also hurled two petrol bombs outside the residence of the Chief Minister on Sunday.

Terming such acts as meaningless, the Chief Minister said, “We are here trying to work together to resolve all these kinds of issues and whatever has happened in the past you will see different kinds of elements have tried to create unrest…Therefore, we condemned it and obviously  we will be finding the people who are responsible for this also.”

Stating that violence is not the way forward, Sangma appealed to each and every citizen to maintain peace in the city and the state.  

“I appeal to everybody that they may be peaceful, we must try to resolve this issue in a proper manner and violence is not the way forward,” he said.