On April 17, three Muslim labourers from Assam were burned in Meghalaya. According to a news report, the three men were burned alive in Wageasi in the East Garo Hill districts of Meghalaya. The men were labourers from neighbouring state Assam, named Jamor Ali (35), Noor Ahmed, and Zahidul Islam (34). They were all from Dolguma in Assam’s Goalpara district and had arrived for work in Meghalaya. The last phone calls their family received was on April 16 at 6:30 AM when the men were having breakfast in a forest. Following that call, their phones were found to be switched off and unreachable.
The SP of Williamnagar, East Garo Hills has called it a case of ‘rivalry’ between car lifters and cattle thieves, according to Guwahati Plus. According to the report, the police have stated that a vehicle, which had gone missing, was found within a dense forest near Link Road that connects Rogu Alda village in East Garo Hills District. It was found approximately 1.5 km from NH-217. Upon visiting the scene, the police located the missing vehicle burnt amidst the forest. During a search of the area, law enforcement found a freshly dug pit filled with newly turned soil nearby. The officials dug the pit and discovered the burned bodies.
According to the police, one of the victims, Zahidul Islam has been involved in a case of car theft in Dudhnoi and Krishnai and Jamor Ali is reportedly involved in cattle theft cases in Assam.
This is not the first incident of workers being killed in the state. According to the Indian Express, March 27 witnessed two non-tribal workers being killed in the state in Ichamati, which is near the Bangladesh border. Two men from the Khasi Students’ Union were arrested in the matter.
As per the report, two weeks after this incident, one 52 year old Arjjun Ray was also killed after three workers were beaten with rods in the state in April in Mawlai Mawroh. An FIR was reportedly filed but as per the report, no arrests were made at the time.
Meanwhile, the chief minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma has condemned the burning of the youth from Assam and has urged the people of Assam and Meghalaya to not resort to vigilante justice, “I vehemently condemn this heinous act of violence. Such actions have no place in our society and stand as a grave violation of our shared humanity.” He has also assured that the authorities have started the investigation without any delay.
The Meghalaya Human Rights commission has also meanwhile sought for a report on the killings of the three young men. The human rights body has issued a notice to the DGP to send them a report on the action taken in connection to the incident within a month, according to Times of India.
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