State returnees from Haryana harassed & intimidated at Bihar

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 24, 2020

The Khasi Students’ Union – Central Executive Council (KSU-CEC)) has demanded both the Centre and state governments to ensure the safe return of all citizens of the state stranded in various parts of the country. 

This came after the Union has taken strong cognizance of incidents where stranded citizens are allegedly harassed inside the special trains arranged by the government.

The KSU Delhi Unit has also alleged that there was a forceful entry by people from Bihar in the special train carrying stranded people including 90 Meghalayans from Haryana, the incident of which had taken place on Saturday.

“We condemned such incidents subjecting our people to unnecessary harassment. Therefore, we urge the state government to ensure safe return of all stranded people from the state,” KSU chief Lambokstar Marngar said in a statement issued here on Sunday. 

Marngar also demanded the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India to intervene into the problem faced by the stranded people from the region while travelling back to their home states.

“Necessary steps should be taken on this regard as if such incidents are allowed to continue, the KSU and people of state will take stern decision rather than to be silent spectators,” he said. 

In a separate statement, KSU Delhi Unit president Marbiang Khongwir has expressed concern over the incident at Bihar.

She said the youths from the state were also harassed at Gurgoan Haryana as they were asked by the Haryana government to report for screening to a Stadium without any tranportation.

This was one day before the special train leave for Guwahati

She said the Meghalaya nodal officer IR Sangma had also failed to provide proper instructions or attend to the phone calls of these youths.

According to her, the special train having 90 youths from Meghalaya, left from Haryana for Guwahati on May 22.

“At around 11 pm of the same day, it was informed that one girl from Northeast passed away inside a compartment where 3 youths from Meghalaya are travelling. One of the volunteers immediately informed the special branch of Meghalaya and COVID police control room which in turn informed the railway police force. The train was made to stop at Kanpur the following day and the police from the area had tried to force the youth to take out the dead body but our youth refused,” Khongwir said.

She said the vice president of the Delhi unit was informed that the youths were also subjected to harassment when the train was stopped at Danapur railway station, Bihar. 

“There were also attempt by people at the Bihar railway station to forcefully entered into the train and this has created panic among the female youths from the state. The Delhi Unit has immediately informed the incident to the authority concerned but later at around 5.30 pm it was learnt that there were people who started pelted stones at the train,” she said. 

Khongwir said to ensure such incidents do not repeat in the future, the Delhi Unit demanded that the Ministry of Railway should provide adequate security to special trains coming from Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala and others to ensure safety of stranded people.