: An influential community-based NGO in Meghalaya has asked the State government to let the Central Bureau of Investigation probe the killing of a former extremist leader by the police in August 2021.
The NGO’s demand followed the “failure” of the government in taking action against the personnel of a special police unit. An inquiry commission had found the members of the Tactical Team-1 guilty of using excessive force that led to the death of Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, a former leader of the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council.
The organisation named Sur Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep underlined its demand in a memorandum submitted to Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and each of the 36 MLAs from the State’s Khasi-Jaintia Hills region on Monday.
“The Chief Minister had earlier said action cannot be taken against the top officials who led the operation (at Thangkhiew’s house in the Mawlai locality of Shillong) until the inquiry commission submits its report,” Thomas Passah, a key member of the organisation said.
“But the government did not take any action even though more than four months have passed since the report was submitted in the Assembly,” he said.
The one-man commission headed by retired judge T. Vaiphei had submitted its report on May 20.
“We want the case to be handed over to the CBI. Let the central agency file a charge sheet in the court, which can ensure justice to the members of the slain Thangkhiew’s family,” Mr. Passah said.
The Vaiphei panel had found the Tactical Team-1 responsible for the death of the former extremist leader. The team had gone to arrest him from his residence on August 13, 2021, for alleged involvement in a series of low-intensity blasts in the State.
The “thoughtless” operation and “excessive use of force” led to the death of Thangkhiew, the report said.
A government spokesperson said an explanation would be sought from the team that conducted the operation but was non-committal about accepting the demand for a CBI probe into Thangkhiew’s killing.
The killing had sparked widespread violence in State capital Shillong with masked men moving about in an SUV brandishing guns. The SUV and the firearms had been snatched from the police.
