FOLLOWING the decision of Anil Pradhan, the Meghalaya Director General of Police, to apply for two months leave, the Steering Committee Against Murder of Democracy (SCAMOD) — a conglomerate of 14 NGOs — has temporarily withdrawn the agitation for his removal.

The SCAMOD, which decided to suspend the agitation at a meeting on Tuesday, has written to Chief Minister D D Lapang apprising him of its decision. The organisation made it amply clear that Pradhan should not return as the DGP after his 60 days of “commuted leave” is over.

However, with the Laitumkrah bye-election slated for August 18, the state government needs the Election Commission’s permission to replace a police officer and has forwarded Pradhan’s leave application to the EC.

The SCAMOD had been agitating for Pradhan’s removal after his indictment by an administrative committee appointed by the government for allegedly withdrawing a criminal case against Congress leader Thomas Nongtdu who allegedly financed the Shillong district jail break. However, the state cabinet felt that the committee report was inconclusive and it should wait for the judicial inquiry report before taking action.

The SCAMOD had refused to accept the Cabinet’s argument and had started its agitation with a night road blockade on Monday and Tuesday. The blockade was scheduled to be followed up with a night public curfew. The first day of the agitation on Monday witnessed stray incidents of stone pelting at night buses in Jaintia Hills while a government vehicle was torched.