GSU warns of further agitation in Meghalaya

Shillong, Jul 26 (UNI) Mounting pressure on the Meghalaya government to initiate a fresh probe into the Williamnagar firing incident, tribal Garo Student's Union (GSU) today threatened to step up their agitation if the government was adamant to resolve their issues.

In fact, the GSU had already launched its three-day night blockade starting from July 24 in the entire Garo Hills, which started from July 24 from 1700 hours till tomorrow 0500 hours everyday.

The road blockade did not affect the movement of vehicles along the National Highway 62 connecting Garo Hills and Assam, police said.

Apart from demanding the fresh probe into the Williamnagar incident, the student body had asked the government to initiate action against the officials involved in the Tura firing incident besides declaring September 30 as a State holiday as a mark of respect to the victims.

'' The GSU leaders will meet again and discuss the next step of agitation to pressure the government to implement our demands, '' GSU president Khasi Hills zone Sanjeeb Sangma said.

Nine people, including women, were killed, while scores injured on September 30, 2005 in the twin police firing incident at Tura and Williamnagar over the issue of revamping and restructuring the Meghalaya Board of School Education, having its headquarters at Tura, West Garo Hills district.

Not only the GSU, earlier several NGOs and even the NCP, a partner in the MPA government opposed the probe conducted by Justice (Retd) D N Baruah into the Williamnagar incident in which five people, including a woman, were killed and scores injured, describing it as 'incomplete' and 'partial'.

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