SHILLONG, Oct 10 � East Khasi Hills district administration held a meeting with the village elders of Laitlyngkot and Nongkynrih to douse the tension following the gruesome murder of three villagers in two localities of Sohra (Cherrapunjee) on Wednesday and Thursday. Two were killed in Mawki Syiem and the other was killed in Maraikapahon.
The three villagers of Nongkynrih and Laitlyngkot were murdered by a mob in Maraikaphon and Mawki Syiem locality of Sohra. They were accused of being hired killers of a sorcerer. The three who were killed turned out to be ordinary villagefolks.
Apprehending a backlash, deputy commissioner of East Khasi Hills district Jopthiaw Lyngdoh convened a meeting with around 15 village elders of Laitlyngkot and Mawjrong in Shillong on Saturday.
An official who was part of the meeting said, �Besides assuring the village elders that appropriate action will be taken against the culprits, an appeal was also made on them to restraint their people from resorting to any vengeful activities�. The payment of compensation to the next of kin of the victims was also discussed.
The exercise undertaken by the DC came just a day after the Village Councils of Laitlyngkot and Nongkynrih questioned the elders of the two localities of Sohra for the brutal murder. One of those killed also happened to be a mentally deranged man.
Police said that the 10 arrested persons accused of being involved in Maraikaphon have been booked under section 302/34 of the IPC.
