Ex Meghalaya MLA surrenders in connection with violence

Former Meghalaya legislator, Esmatur Mominin, who was absconding in the wake of last month’s communal disturbances that left two persons dead and several others injured in West Garo Hills, surrendered before police at Nongpoh Police Station in Ri-Bhoi district on Monday.
Several FIRs were filed against Mominin, who was MLA from the Phulbari assemblyconstituency in the West Garo Hills of Meghalaya, for inciting communal hatred and violence through inflammatory speeches that allegedly led to law and order situation in the district.
A team of the West Garo Hills district police proceeded to Nongpoh, the district headquarters of Ri-Bhoi, to take custody of Mominin, a police official said.
“We have registered several cases against the former legislator for inciting communal hatred and violence through inflammatory speeches under various sections of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act,” Abraham Sangma, the district police chief of West Garo Hills, said.
Mominin had been evading arrest since violence broke out ahead of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections last month, leading to communal tensions across the region.
Mominin, a Bengali-speaking Muslim politician, had gone ahead to file his nomination papers for contesting the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections at the office of the Deputy Commissioner in Tura on March 9 as an Independent candidate from Shyamnagar constituency, despite strong public opposition to participation of non-tribals in the tribal council.
Unidentified miscreants who assembled in front of the DC office at Tura, reportedly assaulted him, and was later rescued by the police.
Last month, Police arrested Sofior Rahman, a former member of the GHADC in connection with the communal violence in West Garo Hills district.