Following the attack on 4 Khasi youths from Khyndewsoh who sustained severe injuries and several others who sustained minor injuries in the incident which occurred yesterday in Jatalong in the interstate border area in Ri-Bhoi District, the District Administration, including the Additional District Commissioner and the police today marched to Jatalong village to contain the situation which had emerged in the area as a result of an altercation last night and to also stop any civil society organisation from entering the area which is surrounded by the police force of Meghalaya and Assam.
It may be mentioned that the altercation between the people from the Khasi community and the Nepali community took place last night in Jatalong, in which it has been alleged also that it erupted at one shop where the 3 Khasi youths were bargaining on the price of the commodity with sellers from the Nepali community, when suddenly one of them allegedly started attacking them at this place and promptly the other two youths tried to help the attacked youth but suddenly groups of people from the Nepali community appeared and began attacking the other 3 youths who had no choice but to try and flee the spot and inform their friends in the village.
Speaking with the assaulted persons, Barnabas Lyngdoh, Sildron Mukhim and the other two whose names are not known yet, they stated that on the night of the incident,3 of them went to Jatalong village for shopping and while they were bargaining in one shop, one of them who was waiting outside the shop was beaten up severely which made the others rush to help him, while trying to get in touch with other friends via phone for help. The fight erupted at first between a few, but suddenly a group of people from the Nepali community appeared suddenly to attack these Khasi youths, which led to Barnabas Lyngdoh sustaining the most severe injuries after he was hit on both hands as he was guarding himself and attacked with a Khukri as well on parts of his face while Sildron Mukhim was beaten up on parts of his face apart from being trampled on the chest.
It was said also that after this attack on the 3 persons who are also members of the KSU, HNYF, they immediately informed the leaders and then a group of youths arrived at night to go the area with the intention to contain and pacify the situation, however they too were assaulted by the group of people from the Nepali community who were already waiting at the location along with weapons and other materials in the presence of the Assam police which led to another round of attacks in which many youths from both sides sustained minor injuries.
On the incident, the Meghalaya Police and Assam police have strengthened security in the area and the group of magistrates under the lead of M.B.Tongper, Additional Deputy Commissioner,B.J.Kharshandi,ADC, Ri-Bhoi District today went down to Jatalong village to contain any troubling situation which can start in this place.
M.B.Tongper, ADC of Ri-Bhoi District expressed that as it is at present, the situation is under control and it is not at all an incident of communal violence but only a difference of opinion in one liquor shop, and also appealed others right from the civil society organisations to not incite and sensationalise the incident so that the people can return to living in peace and harmony in the area because the legal authorities have taken up the responsibility to search and find the people involved and to permanently shut down the illegal liquor shop situated in the area.
