‘Higher ups put pressure on my husband to release seized trucks’
SHILLONG: Though the wife of sub inspector late PJ Marbaniang, the officer in charge of Patharkhmah police outpost is yet to recover from the shock of the tragic death of her husband, she saluted his courage in doing the right thing while on duty.
It was a day after he seized 32 trucks which were illegally transporting coal that the police officer was murdered. The police initially viewed it as a suicide case. But now a murder case has been registered.
Before his death, Marbaniang had conveyed to his wife about the seizure of 32 trucks and also the pressure from the higher ups to release them.
“I asked him what he did was right or wrong and he replied that he did the right thing. I have also made a query whether he was afraid and his reply was there was no reason for him to fear and I have supported his courage and honesty”, Chaleth Pyngrope, wife of the police officer, told reporters on Thursday at her residence at Umpling. The last call he made was at 8.42 pm on January 24, she recalled.
Mary Marbaniang, the sister of the police officer said that he was the youngest in the family and the most courageous.
Refuting the suicide theory of the police, the family members said that there was no reason for him to commit suicide.
“He was a cheerful person and he always loved the family as he used to contact them very often even if he is away”, Mary said.
It was on January 12 this year that Marbaniang assumed charge as the officer in charge of Patharkhmah police station. Before this, he served the state police in various capacities after securing a post graduate degree in Geography.
According to the wife, he was happy to get a permanent posting at Patharkhmah.
The family members have raised concerns over the alleged apathy of the police higher ups as they had not shared the news of his death in time.
It was the relatives of Chaleth Pyngrope, former Speaker Charles Pyngrope and his son and sitting legislator David Nongrum who informed her that Marbaniang met with an accident on January 24 night.
“I came to know about his death only from the newspapers the next day”, Chaleth Pyngrope said, adding that she was also shocked to hear the suicide theory.
According to the relatives, it was only on January 26 during the funeral that the two police officers, A. Sunn IGP, Law and order (Eastern range ) and Dy SP headquarters, Ri Bhoi came to convey the condolences.
During the condolence message , Pde painted a different picture of Marbaniang by saying that he was lonely and aloof, which according to the family members, is devoid of truth.
Suspecting foul play on the death of her husband, Chaleth Pyngrope now wants the truth to come out. “We will wait for 90 days for the Special Investigation Team to complete the probe after which we will decide the next course of action”, she said.
She asserted that the family members would not allow giving extension to the police team beyond 90 days.