In a cowardice act, Agnes Kharshiing, a prominent activist from Meghalaya, was attacked by unidentified miscreants. The incident happened yesterday afternoon in Kong Ong village, East Jaintia Hills, 120 km away from Shillong. She has received severe head injuries and is critical and is currently admitted to the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences in Shillong.
Agnes Kharshiing is a women’s rights activist and president of the Civil Society Women’s Organization (CSWO). She has been fighting against rampant coal smuggling in Jaintia Hills region. The coal burning in the region is taking place despite ban the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
She was attacked while she was following the trail of a coal-filled truck. As per The Indian Express, on Wednesday she lodged a complaint regarding the movement of coal-laden trucks, leading to the seizure of at least five vehicles in Mawlai Mawiong. She and her colleague A Sangma decided to know the origins of the truck and followed a truck in a hired vehicle. The assaulters allowed the driver to go and attacked both of them.
The police suspect coal mafia behind the attack.
Chief Minister of Meghalaya condemned the attack and said those behind the attack won’t be spared.
MDA government strongly condemns the attack on Smt. Agnes Kharshiing and her team, who were in Jaintia Hills today. We…
Posted by Conrad K Sangma on Thursday, November 8, 2018
The Logical Indian take
The Logical Indian community hopes Agnes recovers soon. It is the duty of the government and the police to check that the illegal activities are not carried out. But here a civil society activist was doing their job. Now, it is time, the Meghalaya government finds the culprits and stop the illegal mining going on in the region.
Also Read: Uttarakhand: How A Man Exposed Illegal Mining And Construction In The State
