Barely 24 hours after State capital Shillong descended into chaos, the Meghalaya government on August 16 ordered a judicial probe into the killing of former extremist leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew by the police.
The government also extended the curfew till 5 a.m. on Wednesday August 18 and banned mobile Internet services in four districts for another 24 hours while deploying five companies of Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force to help restore normality in Shillong.
Peace panel set up
“We have ordered a judicial inquiry under the Commission of Inquiry Act to look into the events that took place early August 13 morning. We have also decided to form a peace committee in which civil society members, including from religious organisations will be co-opted,” Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma told journalists after a Cabinet meeting on Monday.
Thangkhiew was gunned down at his residence in Shillong’s Mawlai area allegedly after he tried to attack a police team, which had gone to arrest him in connection with an IED blast. The peace committee, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, includes ministers Hamlet Dohling and Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar as members.
The government also decided to constitute a sub-committee for security and law-and-order. It will be headed by Mr. Sangma, and include Mr. Tynsong and the new Home Minister, who will replace Mr. Lakhmen Rymbui.
Mr. Rymbui had resigned on Sunday owning moral responsibility for the killing of Thangkiew, who was the general secretary of the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council, “against the tenets of law”. His resignation is, however, yet to be accepted.
Search for police arms
The Meghalaya police have suspended three policemen whose vehicle and weapons were snatched by a group of unidentified people on Sunday. While the vehicle was torched, the firearms are missing.
“We are combing the city to recover the weapons,” a senior police officer said, declining to be quoted.
The snatching of the vehicle and weapons by masked protestors triggered a string of unruly incidents on Sunday with several vehicles being damaged and arson and theft. The unrest coincided with Thangkhiew’s funeral and culminated with some masked men hurling a petrol bomb at the Chief Minister’s private residence. The bomb did not cause any damage, officials said.
Former Minister and senior BJP leader Alexander Laloo Hek has, meanwhile, demanded the resignation of Meghalaya’s police chief R. Chandranathan to ensure a free and fair investigation into Thangkhiew’s killing.
The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission had on Saturday directed the State’s Chief Secretary to submit a detailed report within 15 days for further necessary orders. The panel said it would conduct its own probe if the report was found unsatisfactory.
