Shillong Apr 22: Residents of Laitkyrhong village in large number on Monday stormed Pynursla police station to oppose the arrest of four persons from the village on the ground that they are Menshohnoh.

The residents went to the police station to express their solidarity with the arrested persons who have been assaulted at Mawkynring village by a group of villagers, even as the mob who gathered at Mawkynring village wanted to kill them.

The mob wanted to lynch the four persons from Laitkyrhong village to death after two girls of Mawkynring village had allegedly informed the people in the village that some persons who were drinking liquor in the field, were chasing them.

In a video that has gone viral, it was seen that the four persons were beaten black and blue by some men inside a hall at Mawkynring village and charged them that they were Menshohnoh. The mob who surrounded the hall demanded that they should not be let alive since they are the Menshohnoh.

Interestingly, the four persons were arrested and charged of attempting to rape the two girls.

When contacted, East Khasi Hills SP, Claudia Lyngwa admitted that some people from Laitkyrhong village went to Pynursla police station to lodge a complaint on Monday but yet to get the details of the complaint.

When contacted, Secretary of the Dorbar Shnong Laitkyrhong, S. Rynjah informed that before going to Pynursla police station, a Dorbar was convened on Monday morning and the people of the village discussed about the incident and the arrest of four persons – Shabitstar Kharlongor, Trol Rynjah, Drimroy Rynjah and Kombitshon Nongkynrih – who have been accused of being the Menshohnoh.

All the four persons are in judicial custody now.

“The whole village is worried and concerned since people from Mawkynring and other nearby villages would think that the people of Laitkyrhong are all Menshohnoh. We have heard from the video that the mob has branded all the people of Laitkyrhong as Menshohnoh. This is very serious and the law enforcing people should take it seriously,” Rynjah said.

Rynjah informed that four years ago, one adult from Laitkyrhong village was also apprehended by mob and beat him black and blue at Wahtngai village by alleging that he was the Menshohnoh.

“This man was also punished by mob and the assault was so severe which has affected him psychologically and he died after few years,” Rynjah said.

He said that the people Laitkyrhong village do not want the name of the village to be tarnished or its people be branded as Menshohnoh which may lead to loss of precious lives.

Rynjah further informed that the Dorbar Shnong Laitkyrhong had also decided to cancel the annual Shad Suk Myniem this year in view of the arrest of the four persons who are the residents of the village.

“The Shad Suk Mynsiem was to be held on May 11, but the Dorbar Shnong has cancelled it, because people in the village are sad in view of the incident which led to the arrest of the four persons,” he said.

According to the people of Laitkyrhong, the four persons were cooks in one of the bereaved families in the village on April 16. As it was the funeral day, the four persons at around 10 am left the house to look for liquor outside the village.

When they returned from the place where they got the illicit liquor, they stopped half way and drank among themselves.

At that time, the villagers said, two girls of Mawkynring village were passing through the area, and the four persons talked to the girls not to be afraid of them since they were sitting there for drinking.

However when they passed through Mawkynring village to return to Laitkyrhong village, the four persons were stopped by the mob and dragged them to a Dorbar Hall with an intention to lynch them.

The four persons were rescued by police, after which, they were arrested.

Police have not arrested the people who assaulted the four persons.