GUWAHATI: The Meghalaya government on Friday approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to demand action against the Assam Police and the forest personnel responsible for the killings of five civilians from Meghalaya on the interstate border on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, most central and state government offices besides financial institutions, including banks, remained closed in Shillong after a group of five tribal organisations called upon employees to observe the day as “non-cooperation day” in protest against the firing.
Attendance was thin in some offices, including the state secretariat, which remained open. In the meeting with NHRC chairperson Justice Arun Kumar Mishra and other members in New Delhi, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma also stressed on the need for proper sensitisation of forces deputed in sensitive border areas so that such incidents do not recur in any part of the country.
“The firing was a clear violation of human rights by the Assam Police and forest guards who killed five civilians from Meghalaya and an Assam forest guard,” Sangma said in a video message later.
In Shillong, five tribal organisations have got together and demanded that the state government address the problems being faced by people residing along the interstate border with Assam, and try the guilty Assam personnel in Meghalaya.
After the incident, Shillong has been witnessing stray incidents of violence. A customs inspector, Alok Kumar, suffered serious injuries after he was attacked by a mob on Thursday. He has been admitted to the ICU.
Meanwhile, in a relief to Meghalaya, the Assam Petroleum Mazdoor Union on Friday decided to resume the transportation of fuel to the hill state following Sangma government’s assurance that it would provide security to oil tankers and their crew.
The union had on Thursday taken a decision against carrying petroleum supplies to Meghalaya citing security reasons.