Williamnagar Jail attack probe report fails to identify perpetrators
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The magisterial probe into the attack on Williamnagar jail, which resulted in the death of two jail staff, has failed to pinpoint which militant group was involved in the crime.
Assistant Jailor Neil Warjri and Warder Sarai Sing Thabah were killed in the attack by a gang of militants on the night of February 2.
The findings revealed that the primary target of the attackers was assistant jailor Warjri and not Thabah.
Soon after the incident, the police claimed that it was the handiwork of GNLA. Later, police confirmed that the attack was carried out by ANVC (B) led by its commander Senbirth Marak alias Norok.
However, the probe report, a copy of which is available with The Shillong Times, does not clearly point out which group was involved in the attack as it said that police should investigate into the matter further.
Additional District Magistrate, Williamnagar, MK Marak started the inquiry on February 2 and handed over the full report to the Government last week.
Marak examined 27 jail staff including security personnel, six independent witnesses and cross examined 14 others as per requirements in the conduct of inquiry.
“The incident was clinically planned by a group or individual members of militant outfit and their intension was to kill the targeted person and not for jail break,” Marak stated in his report.
According to Marak, the findings portray that the targeted person was the Assistant Jailor and not the Warder, who happened to be a victim of circumstances.
“However, there is no conclusive proof of which group or individual members of militant outfit are responsible. The only possibility is that the investigation of the crime will unearth the identity of persons or outfit. Unquestionable there is no conspiracy involved in the incident,” the report said.
Suspecting conspiracy, GNLA chairman Champion Sangma, through his lawyer Sujit Dey, recently filed a petition in the State High Court seeking the status of the inquiry report.
The Court has directed the Government to file the status report regarding the probe within four weeks.
According to the findings, the attack was carried out by the members of the gang not for jail break or to free the prisoners.
The report said that invariably all the witnesses reiterated without any hindrances that the militants could have done so as all keys were with the slain Warder or they could have broken the locks and set the prisoners free.
“Such being the case it intrigues what is their game plan or the motive behind the killing of the two jail employees. Contemplating into the statements of Cisilia Sohtun, Female Warder, and few warders, the possible targeted person is late Neil Warjri, Assistant Jailor and not the Warder late Sarai Singh Thabah,” the report said.
Sohtun in her submission before the magistrate said that she heard firing at the jail building at about 8:40 PM on February 2 from her quarter and little later she heard continuous firing.
She also made a call from her cell phone at 8:50 PM to late Warjri but she did not get any response from him. Sohtun rushed to the jail building and she met some Home Guard personnel on the way. On hearing the last round of firing, she took shelter at the barrack. On reaching the incident site she could see two bodies lying on the ground.
According to her, she met the Assistant Jailor between 8 AM to 8:30 AM on February 2 and she did not see any sign of tension on his face.
Sohtun had worked with him in Shillong in 1996 and later he was transferred to Jowai and subsequently to Tura and it was for temporary duty that he had come to Williamnagar.
“In her opinion the main target is Warjri and not Thabah. The only possible reason may be that his conduct with UTPs in the other jails and with some members of militant outfits was harsh. Hence he was their target. Her speculation is that this might have been in Shillong or Jowai for which he must have been targeted. The attack was to kill and not for jail break or to set free the UTPs,” the report stated.
According to the magistrate, the reason is unclear and unanswered as to which individuals or militant outfits are involved. “How is it possible in the shortest possible days, precisely in three days period, can he (Warjri) be targeted! To me, the track record of the slain warder (Thabah) is made known; whereas, none gave conclusive evidences about conducts and past track records of the Assistant Jailor (Warjri) in Shillong and Jowai jails. This fact is repeatedly popping up time and again in the depositions,” the report said.
According to the Magistrate, his jurisdiction of inquiry limits only to the Williamnagar jail.
“The finding in Williamnagar does leave a few unanswered questions. Only investigation into the crime by the Police Investigation Officer will clarify these questions. It also negates allegation against the named member of militant group ANVC (B). My observations are limited to the depositions of the witnesses examined by me and I do not have excess to other circumstances and evidences and these facts may be contradictory,” Marak said in the report.
Almost all the witnesses told the magistrate that Thabah had very cordial relations with everyone in the jail and moreover he treated the prisoners well.
However, Assistant Jailor Warjri came to Williamnagar jail for duty only on January 31 and the incident took place on February 2. Moreover, the ANVC commander Senbirth Marak alias Norok, who was arrested in connection with the attack on working president of MPCC Deborah Marak, was out on bail much before Warjri was posted.
To the question on what was the compelling reason in sending the Assistant Jailor on temporary charges at Williamnagar, the written statement of the then Superintendent district Jail, JJ Sangma submitted to the probe panel said that the action of sending him was not intentional and there was no foul play in it.
The Magistrate said that he also looked into the possible conspiracy or instigation within the staff. “All my findings ruled out such propositions. With open mind, I looked for corroborating facts, examined independent witnesses Suthindro Sangma, owner of M/S Balsa Xerox, Soil Bazar, Williamnagar to unearth the past conduct of Lastil N Marak, Warder, who happens to be the younger brother of alleged member of ANVC (B) Senbirth Marak alias Norok. In the instant case, there is no conclusive substantiation to implicate any wrong doing,” the Magistrate said.
Marak also expressed surprise on what made Warjri to come on February 2 night to the jail when he did not have any duty at that point of time.
“My speculation is that the door of jail was opened not in haste or maybe there was the arrival of a familiar person. It remains unanswered why the Assistant Jailor came to the office at night when he did not have duty and what prompted the Warder to open the door,” the magistrate said.
One of the witnesses, Diuk Marak, Guardsman, who was on duty on February 2 from 6 PM to 9 PM, said that he heard the gun firing between 8:38 PM and 8:40 PM.
“The assailants fired at his sentry tower number one and he escaped narrowly from the attempt on his life. He neither could fire at them nor could whistle to alert other Home Guard personnel,” the report said.
According to the report, the guardsman heard assailants conversing in Garo language seeking approval -“Goboma, goboma” (Shall I shoot) and the permission by group leader “Gobo, goaibojok” (yes shoot him). The guardsman could not give any idea on which group or individuals were behind the attack and the motive behind the killing, the report said.