Santosh Hojai Killing: 36-Hour Shutdown Underway in Dima Hasao, Demand for Arrest of DSP

Haflong: The streets in Dima Hasao district on Thursday bore a deserted look as the 36-hours bandh called by the Halali Progressive Welfare Society (HPWS) got underway at 5 am in the wee hours of the morning. The organization, at the forefront of the protests against the murder of former Dima Halim Daogah (DHD) leader Santosh Hojai, has cited the arrest of Deputy Superintendent of Police Surya Kanta Morang as its main demand for calling the shutdown.

"It (the bandh) is in protest against the kidnapping and killing of Santosh Hojai -- former DHD cadre, businessman, social worker. What happened to him is condemnable. His wife registered a case at the Harangjao Police Station but the accused Surya Kanta Morang has not been arrested", complained Dilip Nunisa, the president of the Halali Progressive Welfare society and former Chairman of DHD

The HPWS leader further lamented that no "serious action" has been taken by the authorities and warned that further shutdowns will be announced if the Government does not take action. "We will repeat this via democratic means and we appeal all civil societies, NGOs, and intellectuals to cooperate so as to bring justice and send to the jails.", Nunisa said.

It may be recalled that Dilip Nunisa had also staged a silent protest in front of the office of the Dima Hasao Deputy Commissioner on Monday where he tonsured his head in public view demanding justice.

Nunisa, along with his former colleagues and members of the Halali Progressive Welfare Society and the civil societies of Dima Hasao, has been constantly demanding the immediate arrest of Surjyakanta Morang, a local DSP who has been accused by the wife of Hojai.

Talking to media during his protest, Nunisa said that many more incidents of such killings have happened in the past, but voices of local people have not been heard by the concerned authorities and urged the Government to pay heed to these issues plaguing the Dima Hasao region.

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