Shillong, Mar 12: The result of mindless violence and mob protests could be seen across Tura town on the morning of March 12, a day after protesters burnt shops and damaged cars.
An angry mob went berserk, destroying and looting shops and damaging vehicles. The residents of Tura came out to clean the debris on Thursday morning.
In a striking display of irony, a vandalised store owned by a Garo resident in Tura bore a spray-painted message reading ‘Long Live A•chik (Garo) Land’.
According to local reports, unidentified miscreants vandalised and damaged several properties in parts of the town amid the prevailing tension. The NPP office in Tura was also vandalised. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma visited the office on Thursday morning and appealed for peace.
“Several places, including the NPP Office, were vandalised, attacked, and burned by some individuals, and we are deeply saddened by this. There was no reason at all to attack the party office, but the matter was turned into a political issue and the NPP Office was targeted. I want to say this clearly: we never foresaw such an incident taking place. Whoever has carried out these acts will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law,” said Sangma.
“However, I would also like to send a message to the people of our party. Those who burned our party office today may think that by doing so they can end the NPP. But we all know that the NPP lives in the hearts of the people. Therefore, there is no way they can end the NPP,” he added.
Observers noted the stark contradiction between the slogan painted on the shop and the act of destruction itself. The phrase ‘Long Live A•chik (Garo) Land’ is commonly associated with calls to protect the interests and identity of the Garo community. However, in this instance, the property of a Garo resident was targeted.
Residents have expressed concern that such incidents undermine the very cause being claimed by those involved in the unrest. Many community members have urged people to refrain from violence and instead work towards restoring peace and unity in the region.
