Militants in Meghalaya a threat to other candidates, too

On Monday morning, the usual hustle of the local market in Williamnagar gave way to a gloomy quietude. As the sun rose up to the head, shutters were pulled down, and people started making their way to the local morgue, where the body of slain Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate Jonathane Sangma was brought.

After a few hours, the local residents took out a peace rally where they spoke of unity and of coming together at a sensitive time. Once the rally ended at Sangma's doorstep, the floodgates opened. Supporter after supporter made their way into his house to pay their last respects, often breaking down. "He was a good man, and would pay us from his own pocket," said Nancy, a supporter.

A day earlier, Jonathane had left home early to campaign around the region. He was to make a stop in the evening at Sawilgre under Samanda block in the east Garo Hills, but when he reached there people in the region did not come out. Despite a plea over microphones, Jonathane had to come back. He was on his way when the white Scorpio he was travelling in came under an IED bomb attack. Along with Jonathane, a former GNLA commander, Nikam Ch Momin, too was killed. Apart from that, a security man and a student were the other casualties. The three injured were later moved to a hospital in Guwahati.

"We had first gone to Jongmegre, and then to Dorakgre, meeting voters. Jonathane was telling them to not worry about the militants. In Sawilgre, the ground was empty and we had to return. I was in the last vehicle and the blast happened in front of us in the first car, which had seven people. We lay down expecting bullets," said Benjamin Marak, an eye witness, adding that Jonathane was rushed to the Williamnagar Civil hospital.

It is now suspected that the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) is behind the attack.

Unverified reports also said that the movement of some GNLA militants along the Indo-Bangladesh border was noted and security forces were also notified about it. Sources close to Jonathane said that during the day, he was told not to come towards Sawilgre, but he went anyway. Jonathane's closeness to some surrendered GNLA militants, too, has become a talking point.

This is not the first time that Jonathane has faced threats. In fact, posters had appeared around Williamnagar — in areas like Chimagre, Samanda, Dolwarigre, Chisobibra — where people were warned against voting for Jonathane. In addition to that, he had filed a case against Congress candidate Deborah in 2013, accusing her of using militants to stop him during the elections. Deborah was chargesheeted and was out on bail in 2015.

Candidates and voters in Meghalaya have to account for another key factor during elections — the threat of militancy. While the GLNA's dwindling numbers has put people out of worry, the threat that candidates as well as voters face from militants has always been there.

At her home, a few kilometres away, elementary education minister Deborah C Marak says that she condemns the incident and understands how the suspicion will fall on her now. "I have urged the state officials to institute an enquiry. If Jonathane had been warned, he should not have gone there so late in the evening," she said.

Deborah herself had faced an attack during a rally last year. She had gone for a meeting in the daytime to Rongbangkri, which came under attack from militants. "They opened fire and some of us tried to flee. A militant came up to me and said that I should never come there without their permission," she recalls. Understandably, she hasn't made her way back since.

Reports of threats to people in nearby Songsak constituency, where militants have asked people to refrain from voting for CM Mukul Sangma, too, have appeared. Sangma is contesting from both Ampati and Songsak.

Deborah says that she now keeps a watch. "There's an advance police team that goes before me and I have a security detail. I also ensure that I do not travel to sensitive areas after dark," she said.