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| Members of TGCSU gather outside the deputy commissioner’s office in Tura. Picture by UB Photos |
Shillong, Aug. 30: Police today rescued the general secretary of Tura Government College Students’ Union, Rikman Marak, after he was allegedly abducted by the Garo Students’ Union.
The police also picked up GSU president Tengsak Momin for his involvement in Marak’s abduction. According to West Garo Hills SP M.K. Singh, the motive of GSU leader Momin and others was that the general secretary of Tura Government College Students’ Union had questioned GSU for not conducting elections for long.
The police said the GSU members whisked the general secretary of TGCSU in a vehicle belonging to the GSU president around 1.30pm. The police later rushed to the GSU office and rescued Marak. According to police, a complaint lodged with the police in this connection by Marak said he was also assaulted by the GSU members.
“We are taking Marak for medical examination,” the SP said. Following the incident, a large number of students from TGCSU gathered in front of the office of the deputy commissioner Pravin Bakshi. They also demanded an apology from the GSU president. According to the SP, though the GSU leader has been arrested, investigation is on to find out the involvement of more students. However, when contacted, the GSU president claimed he was not arrested, but said he was at Tura police station to file a counter-FIR.
According to the GSU leader, there were differences with TGCSU since it was the part of the forum, which demanded a separate Garo state supported by the political party, Garo National Council. “Since the separate statehood demand was spearheaded by a political party, we were not party to the movement and did not take part in the recent rally organised by GNC and participated by TGCSU,” the GSU leader said.
According to the GSU leader, since the students’ body was an apolitical organisation, the GSU did not take part in the movement for a separate Garo state as the forum was not neutral. On the allegations of GSU not conducting its elections, the GSU leader said since frequent elections had created instability in the organisation, there was a meeting in 2010 at Mendipathar in East Garo Hills to allow the present GSU functionaries to continue in office till 2013. The last elections were held in 2008. The GSU leader said since his union was not part of the movement demanding a separate Garo state, TGCSU was spreading misinformation to tarnish their image.
“Today the TGCSU wanted to organise a meeting in Tura and we questioned the general secretary, which lead to a scuffle,” Momin said.
Cadres held
Police today arrested three ANVC (B) cadres this afternoon from Tura, West Garo Hills.
The police said the cadres were arrested while trying to extort money from Tura Bazar.
The police also seized several extortion slips from them.
The cadres have been identified as Philban Sangma, Bando Sangma and Tenging Marak.
The ANVC (B) had imposed an indefinite road blockade in Garo Hills since Wednesday demanding the resignation of chief executive member of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council, P.K. Sangma, citing lack of transparency in the GHADC administration.
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