Jail bharo: Women resist arrest, clash with cops

The indefinite jail bharo agitation of the Synjuk Ki Seng Longkmie (Mothers’ Union) took a violent turn on Tuesday when the protesters clashed with the police who tried to whisk them away from the state secretariat. The Mothers’ Union had decided to court arrest demanding the release of KSU activists arrested earlier.

Additional SP C D Shira said: “The protest was supposed to be non-violent. It was a jail bharo protest and even then the women resisted arrest.” Soon after the clash, East Khasi Hills SP A R Mawthoh and City SP M Kharkhrang rushed to the spot. The situation was somehow brought under control and the women taken away.

East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner B Dhar said the women had violated Section 144 of the CrPC by gathering in front of the secretariat. Justifying the intervention of a male policeman, he said, “It is not a violation of human rights. When somebody beats up a officer is it not the duty of other policemen to protect the officer.” Around 180 woman courted arrest by the end of the day.