SHILLONG, MAY 15: The state police will decide whether to seek cancellation of anticipatory bail granted to 11 persons, including a headman, only after the postmortem of Trophimos Khongmawdoh is completed, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem said on Friday.
“After the postmortem only, we will be able to take a call on whether we will move appeal for cancellation of the anticipatory bail,” SP Syiem said, referring to the 11 accused who have secured bail from the district council court.
The case pertains to the April 7 death of Trophimos Khongmawdoh.
His father, Netnobiweit Khongsdoh, filed an FIR on May 5 alleging that his son was assaulted by the headman and members of the Village Defence Party (VDP).
“We have received an FIR on May 5 from the father of the deceased namely Netnobiweit Khongsdoh and this incident happened on the April 7, where he alleged that his son was assaulted by the headman and members of the VDP,” Syiem said.
“Following this complaint, we have registered a case of murder in Pynursla Police Station,” he added.
Police have moved the court to exhume the body for examination.
“We have also prayed to the court, to exhume the body of Trophimos Khongmawdoh and the date for exhumation will be fixed by the SDO Civil Pynursla, following the exhumation we will conduct spot postmortem and following the findings of the postmortem, we will take a decision, what to do ahead,” the SP said.
Syiem said the investigation is being monitored by the SDPO Pynursla and SP City.
“As of now, since people have got bail, first we will go for the postmortem, then take a call after that,” he said.
He confirmed that the headman was among those who received bail.
“Yes, even the headman got bail,” Syiem said.
The SP noted that VDPs are required to work with police and not take the law into their hands.
“VDP have been instructed and made aware and have also taken an oath actually to uphold the law to work in tandem with the police and to informed the police o any incident,” he said.
“This isolated incident the VDP has actually not informed the police and allegedly take the law into their hands,” he said, adding, “So we will wait for the postmortem, whether it is a fact and that the death was due to the assault.”
By Our Reporter
