KSU demands govt to set up police outpost at Langpih

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 19, 2019

SHILLONG: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has demanded the state government to consider setting up of a permanent police outpost at Langpih located along the disputed inter-state border with Assam.

The demand was made by a delegation led by KSU Chief Lambokstarwell Marngar before the state home minister James K Sangma during a meeting held at his office chamber here on Tuesday.

This was following the recent clash that broke out between the Khasi villagers and Assam police when the later had objected the erection of electrical poles by the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) at Umwali village on February 14.

At least two persons were arrested while several others including women were injured during the lathicharged by the Assam police.

“The Union implores upon your good office for immediate setting up of a permanent police outpost in Langpih so as to provide security cover to the villagers of that area in view of the repeated atrocities of the Assam police in connivance with the illegal Nepali settlers,” the KSU said in a memorandum submitted to the home minister.

After the meeting, Marngar told reporters that the Union has asserted the need to ensure that the May 14, 2010-firing incident in which four Khasi villagers were killed and eight others were injured “should not be repeated”.

“The people residing at the border should not be made scapegoat due to the failure to resolve the boundary dispute between the two states,” he said.

Lamenting over the “too soft” attitude of the Meghalaya government, Marngar said the Assam government has always opposed any developmental activity undertaken by the Meghalaya government.

“Therefore, we strongly demand that the government should deploy adequate security forces at the border to ensure safety and security of our border people,” he said.

The KSU chief informed that the home minister has assured the delegation to strengthen the security forces in the border as well as ensuring that the electrification of the village is completed.

Asked, Marngar admitted that the give and take policy may be one of the solutions to resolve the long pending boundary dispute between Assam and Meghalaya adding the issue cannot be allowed to continue in this manner.

“It is also high time that the government takes the KHADC into confident for providing documents to prove that these areas fall under the territory of the state,” he said.

Stating that the KSU is working in close coordination with its counterpart the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) under the banner of the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), Marngar said the two student bodies will sit together and take the best decision on how to resolve the matter.