Judicial probe on Resubelpara firing

SHILLONG, MAR 7: A judicial probe into yesterday’s night police firing in Resubelpara will be constituted following an assurance given by the Meghalaya government in the state Assembly today.

Last night, three people were injured when police personnel reportedly opened fire while an angry mob vandalised burnt police vehicles and ransacked a barrack.

“We will have a judicial inquiry and apart from the support system being provided to all the injured victims, the compensation policy will be implemented,” Chief Minister Mukul Sangma told the Assembly today.

The chief minister’s assurance came after veteran Congress legislator Salseng C Marak urged for a proper judicial inquiry into the matter while participating in the discussion on the incident after a suo-moto statement by home minister HDR Lyngdoh.

Speaking in the Assembly, Marak, who is also a representative of Resubelpara in North Garo Hills, demanded that necessary financial assistance be extended to the injured civilians.

“It is really a sad incident and I was very disturbed after getting the information. I am thinking of going down (to Resubelpara) and try to see that peace and tranquillity is maintained,” he said.

Earlier, Lyngdoh assured that a magisterial enquiry would be conducted into the incident.

However, Opposition NPP legislators James K Sangma and Nihim D Shira strongly demanded for a judicial inquiry and to ensure that police personnel who were responsible for the incident are taken to task.

“I strongly support the senior member (Salseng) as we do not need a magisterial enquiry because this is an instance of trigger happy policemen. How can police fire on civilians when they have not initiated firing from their side,” James said.

The chief minister informed that the situation is being monitored at the level of the state government, the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP).

“We will ensure there is no scope for creating any situation so that normalcy in the area is restored,” he said.

Informing the House about the incident, the home minister said the incident took place at Resu-Khaldang at around 10.30 PM when police were conducting checking based on inputs about movement of an armed militant William Sangma.

One Bolero pickup truck, which was coming from Khaldang, was asked to stop at three different points, the home minister said. However, he said the vehicle sped away.

“Suspecting them to be militants, the police fired at the vehicle which led to the injury of three persons,” Lyngdoh said.

The victims have been identified as Milseng Sangma (35), Tubal Sangma (29) and Janrak Sangma (27). The trio was shifted to International Hospital, Guwahati.

While the trio was admitted in the ICU, Lyngdoh said they were in a stable condition.

Moreover, the home minister said that soon after the trio was sent to Guwahati at around 11.30 PM, a crowd at Resubelpara CHC turned violent and two police light motor vehicles were broken and burnt down.

Again at around 12 midnight, a mob moved towards Resubelpara Police Station and the SP’s office where skeletal force were stationed for protection.

Lyngdoh said that the forces at the PS were overpowered and the Resubelpara PS building and two barracks were ransacked and a mini truck in the premises was also burnt down, he said.

Stating that the district has recently seen a lot of militant activities, he said there was an encounter on February 25 with a notorious militant Singbirth Marak alias Norok who had formed a new militant outfit named United Achik National Front (UANF).

Similarly another dreaded terrorist William who was responsible for a number of kidnappings and other crimes in Assam and Meghalaya had an encounter with the district police a couple of days ago and sophisticated weapons and ammunitions were recovered from the place of encounter, he said.

Further, Lyngdoh said that the place of occurrence was very close to the border with Assam and there were several activities by various militant organizations such as ULFA, GNLA, NDFB and other groups.

The home minister claimed that the police force has been working under very challenging circumstances and they have acted with restraint and have earned public goodwill.