BOKO: Tension is prevailing in Upper Tarabari, at the Assam – Meghalaya frontier under BokoLAC in Kamrup since Monday.
After being chased by Meghalaya sympathizers, 150 Garo tribal members, including pregnant women and children, were forced to abandon their Upper Tarabari home. More than 50 ran 10 kilometers from the village they were staying in Monday night. Jarihat members of All Rabha Student’s Union gave them shelter in their office. Since Monday, the student union provided food and other necessities. Over 100 individuals came from the jungles nearby on Tuesday. The people fled from the village to hide in the forest. ARSU provides them food and shelter in their offices. Jarihat received the Assam Police and Administrative officials 12 hours late.
Pitdon Sangma was the village chief of Upper Tarabari. He claimed that Meghalaya supporters lived in the village and threatened Assam supporters. As a result, Pitdon Sangma demanded Rs 5k as a penalty. Upper Tarabari falls under the Assam region in the Assam-Meghalaya border problem. Some people continue to create problems, and try to attack Assam supporters. Pitdon Sangma the village chief, left his village on Monday night with his family. They were taken to Jarihat village, Assam for temporary shelter.
Diwas Bordoloi from the Boko Revenue Circle said that both administration and police are now working to settle the issue and get them back in their home village. He added that police have also been investigating the incident.
However, Meghalaya sympathizers allegedly demanded Rs 5000 per individual from Assam to take Assam state’s PDS rice. They also demanded other commodities. The Upper Tarabari villager filed an FIR at the Boko Police Station July 8 regarding this matter. The FIR was filed by Phanindra Nth, Boko PS officer in charge. The police arrested three persons – Grimith S Sangma, Mikel B Sangma and Makston Marak –from the Upper Tarabari village. ARSU members also called an ambulance to assist a pregnant mother and three sick children. The ARSU members also called on the State Government for a solution to the issue.