SHILLONG, SEPT 25: With both the BSF and the state police having denied firing at the protesters during the economic blockade on Wednesday, the state government is clueless as to who fired killing the two protesters in East Jaintia hills yesterday even as third party involvement in the incident remains a remote possibility.
Meghalaya home minister told reporters on Thursday that a magisterial inquiry has been instituted to probe into the firing incident that killed two people. It is hoped that the inquiry will reveal who open the firing killing the two people.
Warjri said the inquiry will be headed by West Jaintia Hills district additional deputy commissioner SS Syiemlieh who has been directed to submit the report to the state government within a month.
Immediately after the firing that killed two persons, which includes a woman, and injured five others at Mookhep village in East Jaintia hills district, fingers were pointed at the BSF.
But on Thursday BSF denied firing at the agitating crowd killing two agitators. BSF Inspector General (Meghalaya Frontier) Sudesh Kumar said, “One company of the force was travelling in that area, but that was one hour after the firing had taken place.”
Kumar said that the BSF vehicle which was going towards the trouble torn district was attack by the mob but the para military force only resorted to firing four rounds in the air to disperse the mob that attack the vehicle.
Kumar said the BSF had to return to Jowai and halt the night there after they were advised not to proceed by the district administration.
The firing took place during the ongoing indefinite economic strike called by the Movement for Indigenous People’s Rights and Livelihood- Meghalaya (MIPRL) to protest against the blanket ban on rat-hole coal mining imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in the state.
A 13 years old boy was one among the five who sustained bullet injuries.
Warjri, however, said that the government is yet to rule out the involvement of police or any other security agency in the firing incident. She said, “Till now, we don’t know who had opened fired at the crowd and that is why we have set up this inquiry to get to the bottom of this incident.”
Warjri assured necessary action will be taken as per law once the inquiry reveals who fired. She said, “But at this point of time, it is difficult to rule out the involvement of any security forces and that is why it is necessary for us to get into the details and depth of what actually happened at the place of occurrence.”
Meghalaya chief secretary PBO Warjri, who was present during the briefing, added, “Moreover, the incident had taken place when it was already quite dark and therefore we will have to wait for the report of the inquiry.”
Warjri further informed that magisterial inquiry has also been directed to ascertain whether law and order arrangement was adequate and other matters which could have relevance to the inquiry.
Claiming that the situation in East Jaintia hills district has improved, Warjri said it was only after the intervention of the newly appointed deputy commissioner T Dkhar, who joined today, that the dead bodies of the two civilians lying at the road was allowed by the crowd to be shifted to a hospital for post mortem examination.
The bodies of the deceased remained on the national highway till 3 pm on Thursday.- By Our Reporter
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