Five anti-nuke activists booked under MPDA

Shillong, Jun 15 (UNI) Five arrested Khasi Student's Union activists in Meghalaya have been booked under Meghalaya Preventive Detention Act(MPDA) for disrupting public peace during the recent KSU agitations over the uranium mining issue.

The powerful student's body had launched a week-long agitation last week to protest against the just concluded public hearing on uranium mining at Nongbah Jynrin near the proposed mining areas in West Khasi Hills district.

During the agitation, the state witnessed burning of government and public vehicles and attempt to set ablaze the state Public Works Department office here.

Police said the arrested KSU activists were involved in the incidents.

''They have been booked under MPDA for disrupting public peace by holding bandh, road blockade and office picketing besides other crimes like arson and stone pelting,'' East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner B Dhar told UNI here today.

The five KSU activists include its Organising Secretary Daniel Khyriem. All the five have been shifted to Tura and Williamnagar District jails in Garo Hills.

Mr Dhar said the police hunt for top leaders of the KSU would continue and 'they too would be booked under MPDA if arrested'.

KSU frontline leaders Samuel Jyrwa and Hamlet Dohling had gone underground fearing arrest after announcing their week-long agitation.

Meanwhile, the KSU has demanded an immediate unconditional release of the five activists within 36-hours or 'face more intensified agitations'.

''The KSU will continue to fight for the rights of the people,'' KSU leaders Samuel Jyrwa and Hamlet Dohling said, adding that booking the student activists under MPDA clearly shows the government's intention to weaken the student movement against the government ''misdeeds''.

The five KSU activists were arrested during the second day of the KSU strike on June 12 from a graveyard at Mawprem here. The KSU had alleged police brutality on their members after they were arrested.

UNI