TURA: Tension escalated in West Garo Hills on Friday as a united platform of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) submitted a strongly worded memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, demanding immediate justice for (L) Dilseng M. Sangma, an activist who was killed in Goalgaon on January 9.
The CSOs alleged that the killing was not an isolated crime but a direct outcome of the illegal stone mining mafia operating in the Wadagokgre area, which they claimed has thrived for years due to administrative neglect.
In their memorandum, the organizations described Dilseng’s death as the culmination of long-standing grievances in the Plain Belt region, pointing to:
-
Unchecked illegal immigration, leading to demographic imbalance
-
Rampant resource exploitation, including illegal stone quarrying and timber smuggling
-
Weak enforcement and governance failures, allowing criminal networks to flourish
The CSOs warned that continued inaction could further destabilise the region.
To prevent future violence, the CSOs proposed the creation of a Joint Task Force involving — Land & Revenue Department, Home (Police) Department, Forest Department and Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).
The proposed mechanism, they said, would empower ADCs to effectively enforce land laws and conduct eviction drives against illegal encroachers, a task they claimed is currently hindered by inadequate police support.
The memorandum outlined several immediate and non-negotiable demands:
-
Permanent security presence through the establishment of a Meghalaya Legislative Police (MLP) Battalion Camp in the Plain Belt
-
₹10 lakh ex-gratia compensation for the family of (L) Dilseng M. Sangma
-
Time-bound investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to ensure swift arrests and prosecution of all those involved
While acknowledging the formation of the SIT, the CSOs stressed that accountability and speed were crucial to restoring public confidence.
In their concluding appeal, the CSO leaders urged the government to strictly enforce the Garo Hills District (Transfer of Land) Act, 1955 and the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act, 1972 to safeguard indigenous land rights and cultural identity.
“This is the time for the government to correct decades of neglect and protect our people and ancestral land before the damage becomes irreversible,” the leaders stated.
