Meghalaya: Masked men attack labourers from Assam; 1 killed, 7 injured
Meghalaya home minister said around 15-20 masked persons were involved in the attack on the labourers.
Three persons were detained in connection with the Wednesday attack on Assamese construction workers, resulting in a death and injuries to seven others, police said on Friday.
Eight workers engaged in construction activities at the St Xavier’s Girls Hostel in Meghalaya’s Southwest Khasi Hills district were attacked on Wednesday night around 11:30 pm by masked men, resulting in the death of Raju Mondal (20), a resident of Ujanghagrar Char in Assam’s South Salmara district. He fell to his injuries within a few hours at Mawkyrwat community health centre (CHC). Seven of his injured co-workers were identified as Aminul Islam (35), Abul Mondal (29), Bahadur Sheikh (32), Abdul Bari (42), Shahinoor Alom (21), Yeasin Mondal (45) and Amir Hussain (24) – all were from the same village as Mondal.
Parish priest of Mawkyrwat Parish, Fr. Friding Kharsyiemiong said unknown miscreants entered the campus and thrashed the labourers. The priest said the assailants knew exactly which classrooms to go to find the workers. A criminal case was registered at the Mawkyrwat police station following the attack.
Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma assured action against the perpetrators. “We will ensure that action is taken so that in the future, such incidents don’t happen. People involved in this will be brought to justice,” he said.
Home minister Lahkmen Rymbui said, “I totally sympathize with the family and I condemn this act of violence against unarmed people who come here with all valid documents and valid permission to do their job.”
The minister said around 15-20 masked persons were involved in the attack on the labourers. He said police are still on the lookout for the miscreants and expressed confidence that within no time all will be brought to book.
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Rymbui, who is also the education minister, said St Xavier’s College had sought permission to bring workers from outside. “They apprised me that they need some labourers from outside, so I told them to do all the formalities like labour license as required by the law and they complied with all the necessary rules, and in fact, they even took the district administration and locals into confidence. Unfortunately, despite going beyond (their duty), this incident has happened,” he rued.
The minister said he has deputed an inspector general of police to supervise the operation to nab the culprits at the earliest.
Meanwhile, the inspector general of police (R) DM Sangma said three persons have been detained and further investigation is being conducted to identify all the persons involved in the case.
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