Police on the job to nab culprits involved in Shillong assault incidents: HM

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 25, 2022

Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Tuesday said the police are on the job to nab the culprits behind the recent assault incidents at Lumdiengjri and Jaiaw areas in the city.

“Police are investigating the incidents. I am hopeful that with a very short span of time police will be able to nab the culprits who are trying to disturb the peace and tranquility in and around the city,” Rymbui told reporters.

At least three people were injured when they were attacked by miscreants at Lumdiengjri area on January 20.

Subsequently, four labourers were also injured after they were beaten up by a group of over 25 miscreants while they were working at Dinam Hall in Jaiaw on Monday evening.

Rymbui however said while a case has been registered in connection with the Lumdiengjri incident, police however are yet to register a case on the Jaiaw incident.

When asked, the home minister said that police are empowered according to the law and their duty is to maintain peace and tranquility in the state.

“We have seen in many cases, the police are able to solve the cases. Also with the active participation of the people (and also) even in private residences, CCTV cameras are always there, so this also helps the police in identifying the culprits and nab the accused,” he said.

He further assured that the police are taking steps to ensure safety and security of each and every citizen while also urging the cooperation of all stakeholders in order that such incidents are not allowed to reoccur in the near future.

Meanwhile, the home minister categorically denied that there is any communal angle to the twin incidents.

“There is no communal angle to these incidents. It is in the mind of the people. Many people try to paint each and every incident as a communal issue. So this is a very bad thing because we cannot deny the fact that incidents do not happen only here but everywhere it is happening but I don’t know only in Meghalaya whenever anything happens, we always paint it and give communal color to it,” he said.

“Once we paint anything in communal color, criminals will take refuge in that color and it is like emboldening them to do anything which tries to harm the peace and tranquility in the state,” he added.

If the incidents are politically motivated, Rymbui however said let investigation be completed so that everything will be revealed and that law will take its own course of action.