Judicial probe demand on fake encounter

Meghalaya home minister Roshan Warjri answering to a call attention motion on Friday in assembly
Meghalaya home minister Roshan Warjri answering to a call attention motion on Friday in assembly

SHILLONG, MAR 20: Opposition on Friday demanded judicial inquiry into the recent alleged fake encounter at Oragitok Rimba Adinggre village in West Garo hills district even as the state government decided to wait for the report of magisterial inquiry

“I request that a judicial inquiry be instituted into the incident,” NPP legislator James K Sangma said on the floor of the assembly. He said such incidents will only create fear and mistrust among the people which is not healthy.

Sangma  moved a call attention motion on a report stating that the CSWO has demanded the arrest of ‘killer cops’ in Oragitok incident.

One Sengbat Ch Marak (36) was allegedly shot dead by police on March 4, near a Nokpante (bachelor’s house) in Oragitok, Rimba Adinggre, a village which falls under the legislator’s Dadenggre constituency.

Sangma informed that he had interacted and came to know that it was a fake encounter as alleged by the CSWO. He sought clarification whether the operation was launched based on intelligent input.

“Isn’t it that as per standard operation procedure (SOP), police should shoot at the leg and apprehend the person? If Sengbat was shot at leg and was limping away then why was he killed in cold blooded and why SOP not followed,” Sangma questioned.

Sangma also requested that the home department take up the matter with the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) which as per Supreme Court guidelines.

Replying to Sangma, the home minister Roshan Warjri said, “A magisterial inquiry has already been constituted to probe the incident. At this juncture, we will wait for the completion of the magisterial inquiry.”

The magisterial inquiry constituted on March 7, is being conducted by Additional District Magistrate and report will be submitted within a period of 30 days.

Warjri earlier  informed the house that the series of incidents of abductions, killings, extortions, movements and sheltering of militant had been taking place at Oragitok and Romba A’dinggre villages in the West Garo hills district over the past one year.

Warjri said, “Intelligence inputs had confirmed that the GNLA was using this area as safe havens for taking shelter and for executing their nefarious activities.”

Warjri informed that input from a central intelligence agency on March 3 indicated that Baichung Momin, Commander GNLA, Jarek Momin, Deputy Commander, GNLA and Kailos Ch Marak, GNLA cadre were taking shelter at Oragitok village since February 28, aided by one Panseng M Sangma, an over ground worker of GNLA, a resident of Oragitok.

Later, on the same day, another input was received that the above group was taking shelter at Nokpante (Bachelor’s House) of one Sengbat Ch Marak, son of Abal Sangma, Nokma of Oragitok village and that they were seen fishing at Simsang river.

Wajri said based on these intelligences, a police team from the West Garo Hills district carried out an operation in the early morning of March 4 at around 3.30 am at Romba A’dinggre village.

During, operations, police spotted the suspected house which was located near Romba A’dinggre LP School and cordoned it, thereafter the police party asked the occupants of the house to come out and surrender, Warjri continued.

Warjri added that a person identified himself as Samson A Sangma came out from the adjacent hut and tried to open the suspect’s house. The police party again warned the occupants of the house to lay down their arms and to surrender but without any response.

Warjri informed that suddenly three persons, who were inside the house,  broke open the door  started firing and ran towards a nearby stream. In self defense, the police party retaliated as a result of which one amongst them was injured and fell down and other two managed to run away and escape.

Warjri claimed that the injured person tried to run but collapsed a few meters away from the stream and succumbed to his injuries. He was later identified as (L) Sengbat Ch Marak,” she said while informing that as per guidelines of the NHRC, the post mortem examination of the deceased would also be send to NHRC by the SP within a specific time frame.- By Our Reporter

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