Truck with ginger hijacked, miscreants surrender
NONGPOH: Four persons, including a teenager, who had hijacked a ginger-ladn truck two days ago surrendered on Monday. The miscreants identified as Baskhembor Thangkhiew (22), Jekinus Nongkynrih (18) and Rebronshon Ramshon (22) of Mawkyrdep village, and Aristar Syiemiong (25) of Mawryngkneng village surrendered before Khapmara police. However, the mastermind of the incident is still at large. The miscreants hijacked the truck loaded with 116 sacks of ginger at Umiam at 11 pm on Saturday. The truck with West Bengal registration, owned by Min Bahadur Sunar, was headed from Bhoirymbong to Kolkata when the group of masked men threatened the driver and another person in the vehicle, tied them up and seized the truck. The miscreants then drove towards Umsawkhwan to reload the ginger onto another unknown truck that was put on standby. An FIR was lodged at the Umiam police station following which four of the culprits surrendered. Leader of the Green Ginger Association Shambor Nongkling condemned the incident and urged the police to take stern action against the arrested men. Nongkling said the hijacked truck was carrying ginger worth Rs 7-8 lakh. The association received inputs that the looted ginger sacks were kept at Mawryngkneng with “JS marked on them”.
Five held in Ri Bhoi for petrol pump robbery
NONGPOH: Five miscreants were arrested on Monday in a burglary case reported on February 17 at Star Energy Service petrol pump in Ri Bhoi. The group of five looted cash worth Rs 7 lakh along with a mobile phone at gun point. Kularshai Lyngdoh Mawnai was identified as the driver of the Maruti car that was used in the crime. He was later arrested with the help of CCTV footage from the petrol pump and the toll plaza there. Police Chief C Syrti said they had continued to investigate the case and another culprit, identified as Shamsing Mawblei of Mynsain Nongkhlaw village, was arrested on March 8 with the help of Mairang police. With further interrogation with the two men, the police managed to arrest the rest of the gang members who were identified as Dondor Marwein, Koster Margar and Bankupar Rumnong. All arrested persons were issued production warrant and the case was charge sheeted.
International Women’s Day celebrated in city
SHILLONG: A programme celebrating International Women’s Day was organised by the Meghalika Mahila Samiti, Shillong in collaboration with POWERGRID and Power System Operation Corporation Limited (POSOCO) under the theme ‘Balance for Better’. A total of 50women participated in the event.
Town committee writes to James on power cuts
Nongpoh: The Nongpoh Town Committee (NTC) has submitted a memorandum to Power Minister James K Sangma seeking his intervention in solving the problem of frequent disruption of electricity in Ri Bhoi, especially in Nongpoh. The memorandum stated that the frequent shutdowns and load shedding have affected all social and economic activities as well as students. The NTC members also highlighted the need for installing a capacity power storage station in Nongpoh.
Demand for better drainage
Nongpoh: A delegation of NTC leaders led by CB Syiem recently held a meeting with PWD Minister Prestone Tynsong to apprise him of the condition of the slab drains along the Nongpoh-Nongkhrah road. In a letter addressed to the PWD Minister, the NTC leaders stated that the Nongpoh-Nongkhrah road connects different localities and villages, schools and other institutions and that the existing slab drain culvert is old and narrow, thereby obstructing smooth flow of water. The NTC leaders also urged the minister to upgrade the slab drain to a bigger culvert or bridge. Meanwhile, Tynsong assured the NTC that the matter will be taken up at the earliest.
WKH gets new police outpost
SHILLONG: The state government recently informed that the Malangkona Police Outpost has been set up in West Khasi Hills for public convenience and better administration. The areas under the jurisdiction of Malangkona Police Outpost will no longer fall under Nongstoin Police Station. The villages under the new outpost are Thangkhula, Malangkhasi, Sildubi, Weirang, Nongporiu, Seminaguri, Mawsmai, Jaslar, Nonghawei, Nongmawkhar, Madanjira, Arengh, Amagoan, Abiram, Rangseng, Dilbot, Joypur, Hahuapara and Dobakdrop.
Sit-in for Garoland on March 19
TURA: Members of the Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC) will stage a sit-in demonstration outside the DC’s office on March 19. GSMC had, last year, held protest rallies in both Shillong and New Delhi. The chairman of GSMC, Nikman Marak, told The Shillong Times that the supporters of the movement from different parts of the state will send delegates to participate in the dharna from 10 am-3 pm outside the DC Office in Tura.
MCC in place in WGH, DC issues prohibitory orders
TURA: With the announcement of the general elections to the Lok Sabha to be held on April 11 this year, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into immediate effect and the West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner has issued prohibitory orders on certain activities. As per the order, prohibition has been issued against wall writing, pasting of posters or defacement in any form, erecting of cutouts, hoardings, banners on any government premises and on private premises except with the voluntary written permission of the owner. Displaying of flags and stickers on private vehicles has also been prohibited except if the owner decides to do so himself which should also not cause any inconvenience or distraction to road users. The same prohibition has been made on commercial vehicles unless such vehicle is one which is used for election campaign after obtaining the requisite permit from the District Election Officer/Returning Officer and the same should be displayed on the windscreen. Carrying of any kind of arms and explosives during the entire election period has also been prohibited however the order shall not be applicable to law enforcing authorities like Police and Home Guards.
PHH and AAY rice released
TURA: West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner (Supply) has informed that PHH and AAY rice for the beneficiaries for the month of March, 2019 in respect of Tura urban and rural based fair price shop dealers have been released. Therefore, all Fair Price Shop Dealers are directed to issue rice as per Government prescribed scale of 5.00 kg per head per month for PHH beneficiaries and 35 kgs per Card per month for AAY beneficiaries at the rate of Rs 3 per kg under NFSA, 2013.
Fair price shop irregularity alleged in West Garo Hills
TURA: The improper distribution of rice and sugar to beneficiaries in West Garo Hills has once again come to the fore with the All Meghalaya Minority Students’ Union (AMMSU) filing a complaint with the sub-divisional officer of Dadenggre. According to the complaint, unfair distribution of commodities have been taking place in a fair price shop in Bhangarpar. Ration card holders also alleged that the shop has not adhered to the PDS guidelines. According AMMSU president Nur Islam SK, an RTI report also revealed that the dealer misused five allotments to beneficiaries and the ration cards of the beneficiaries were changed from APL to BPL and Antyodaya Anna Yojana without prior notice.
Illegal sawmills destroyed in GH
TURA: Nine illegal timber mills were dismantled by a joint team of district special task force committee and police in Tikrikilla, West Garo Hills, on Saturday. During the raid, a large number of timber and heavy machinery were seized by the task force at Pedaldoba, Hatogaon, Belguri, Chamaguri and Naguapara. The team identified the owners as Salseng Marak and Manik Sangma (Chamaguri), Kalu Sangma (Pedaldoba), Dibrugarh Rabha (Belguri), Lakhan Rabha and Arun Boro (Naguapara). The owner of one sawmill at Hatogaon was unidentified. Illegal timber from the reserve forests of East and West Garo Hills is frequently smuggled outside the state. This raid was a result of previous operations at Hallidayganj and Chibinang where a large number illegal saw mills were impounded by the joint team of police and forest rangers.