Another fresh false case filed against Khasi villagers in Sreemangal
The authority of Nahar Tea Estate filed another false case with Sreemangal police station against Khasi villagers of Aslom (Nahar-1) Punji under Sreemangal Upazila of Moulvibazar district on 2 September 2014 while the Khasi villagers had already been harassed by another false case filed by the same complainants. The fresh case accused 28 Khasi villagers including names of a deceased person and another in police custody.
On 30 May 2014, the a group of miscreants led by Pijush Kanti Bhattacharya, Manager of Nahar Tea Estate, made a brutal attack on indigenous Khasi villagers after they resisted an attempt of land grabbing by the tea estate authority. In the attack at least 20 Khasi villagers including women were seriously injured. However, instead of taking charges against the perpetrators of the attack, police accepted a false case filed by the perpetrators themselves and arrested some of the Khasi villagers over last few months. The arrested Indigenous persons are still under police custody. And all the rests are still on run.
Further worsening the situation, Nahar Tea Estate authority filed another false case against the victims on 2 September 2014. The case was filed by Assistant Manager of Nahar Tea Estate, Mijanur Rahaman, 23, son of Masum Ahmed, accusing 28 villagers of thievery, use of illegal firearms and destruction of tea estate properties on 30 August 2014. The case mentions about following persons of Aslom (Nahar-1) Punji:
- Dibarmin Khasia, 37, son of Lodramin Khasia;
- Lutmon Polong Khasia, 57, son of Litan Khasia;
- Sel Tolong, 32, son of late Thakur Khasia;
- Aktadhar Khasia, 40, son of Lob Khasia;
- Bhu Khasia, 35, son of Jaindia Khasia;
- Balet Khong Khasia, 40, son of Lahm Khasia;
- Asrin Porsa, 30, wife of Dibarmin Khasia;
- Emly Khasia (Enbabu), 55, son of late Kellau Khasia;
- Satlak Khasia, 50, wife of Lobin Khasia;
- Larmon Khasia, 32 son of Rit Khasia;
- Rilum Khasia, 20, son of Longtam Khasia;
- Babu Khasia, 40, son of late Cloren Khsia;
- Jony Khsia, 45, late Lau Khasia;
- Daniel Khasia, 40, son of Doblew Khasia;
- Riky Khasia, 20, son of Sik Khasia;
- Asik Khasia, 18, son of Lulum Khsia;
- Biplab Khasia, 18, son of Basket Kostia Khasia;
- Paul Khasia, 30, son of Audin Khasia.
The case also mentions about 10 person anonymous persons of the same village. However, it is alleged by the Khasi villagers that this case is baseless and nothing but to harass them. The alleged false case includes the name of deceased person Paul Khasia (Amsey) who passed away on 10 August 2008 and the name of Rilum Khasia who was in police custody when the alleged incident happened.
Moreover, while most of the accused indigenous Khasi villagers were on run due to previous false cases filed by Nahar Tea Estate authority, present accusation of thievery, use of illegal arms and destruction of tea estate properties against the villagers, terming the villagers “extremists, armed terrorists, thief and killer in nature,” in the case seems impracticable.
Khasi villagers suspect that this attempt to harass them through filing false cases is rooted in the intention of the Tea Estate Authority to grab their lands.
