Garo Hills limping back to normalcy in Meghalaya

A file picture shows a pair of Garo tribal women carrying firewood in West Garo Hill district of Meghalaya. Photo: Ritu Raj Konwar.

An uneasy calm prevailed in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills region on Wednesday, two days after eight migrant labourers were killed in a remote mining village in South Garo Hills district which prompted their exodus.

Sunday’s incident followed last week’s killing of a migrant labourer who was caught by a mob molesting a mentally unstable girl in West Garo Hills Tura town.

“The situation has begun to move back to normalcy but district magistrates and police were kept on high alert,” South Garo Hills district deputy commissioner C P Gotmare told PTI.

While all the deceased victims have been compensated by the respective district administration with Rs 3 lakh, he said over 3,000 migrant labourers were evacuated to safety under police protection.

Following the two incidents, over 10,000 migrant labourers from neighbouring Assam have fled to their places of origin for safety.

An additional company of BSF was deployed in the plain belts of West Garo Hills, district deputy commissioner P Bakshi said adding that night curfew is still on.

Inspector General of Police (Western Range) H Nongpluh said the situation along the inter-state border with Assam is limping back to normalcy but security forces are on high alert for any breakdown of law and order.

Peace meetings with locality elders, church leaders and nomination heads were also directed to be held to get assurance and support in maintaining peace, Mr. Bakshi said.

Meanwhile, the Centre has also acceded to the state’s demand for additional counter insurgency deployment of ten companies of para-military forces in militant-hit five Garo Hills districts, sources said.