TURA, Nov 23: Angry at the cold blooded killing of five citizens of the state in Mukroh village of West Jaintia Hills district by Assam police personnel in live firing on Tuesday morning, the Garo Hills zone of the FKJGP has announced that it is calling upon Garo Hills citizens to hold a day of protest with black flags on November 23 across Garo Hills to express solidarity with the victims and their families.

“To mark the human tragedy and to show solidarity with our brethrens from Mukroh, West Jaintia Hills the FKJGP Garo Hills Zone along with its allying NGOs from Garo Hills hereby appeal everyone to observe 23rd of November 2022 as black day and raise black flags as a sign of protest against the excesses of the Assam Police,” announced FKJGP Garo Hills Zone President Pritam Marak.

A statement given by the FKJGP to protest the firing incident read: “It is with deep shock and resentment that the FKJGP Garo Hills Zone is making this public statement with regards to the tragic episode that transpired on the wee hours of 22nd November 2022 at Mukroh under West Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya.”

“As per reports received from various News Outlets and Social Media platforms Forest officials and Police Personnel from Assam intercepted a truck carrying timber at Assam-Meghalaya border somewhere between 3am-5am on the 22nd of Nov 2022 and pursued the truck while it fled the police and forest officials deep into Meghalaya territory (almost 5-10 kms) into Mukroh Village in West Jaintia Hills District whereby, the police and forest officials of Assam detained the truck, however, the Assam Police further detained one Maruti 800 which was carrying paddy rice at the same spot and was confronted by the villagers of Mukroh Village of Meghalaya as to why the civilian Maruti 800 was detained by the Assam Police. The stand-off between the police and forest personnel of Assam and the residents of Mukroh village of Meghalaya soon escalated which resulted in the Assam policing resorting to “live firing” and the death of 5 civilians and 1 forest personnel,” it said.

It went on to add that “To mark the human tragedy and to show solidarity with our brethrens from Mukroh, West Jaintia Hills the FKJGP Garo Hills Zone along with its allying NGOs from Garo Hills hereby appeal everyone to observe 23rd of November 2022 as black day and raise black flags as a sign of protest against the excesses of the Assam Police.”