By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Despite an earlier assurance from the State Government that it would provide Rs 7.5 lakh each as ex gratia amount for the relatives of the slain jail staff, Neil Warjri (Assistant Jailor) and SS Thabah (Warder), Home (Jail) Minister Roshan Warjri on Thursday informed that Rs 1 lakh will be provided to them.
The jail personnel were killed when militants stormed the Williamnagar jail on February 2.
On February 8, Chief Secretary WMS Pariat had made the announcement of providing Rs 7.5 lakh each to the next of kin of the diseased.
Pariat had also stated that the “family of the two slain jail officials would continue to avail the monthly salary till the time the officials would have retired”.
Though the announcement about the ex gratia payment was made two months ago, the Government is yet to pay the amount.
The matter came up in the Assembly on Thursday when Ardent Basaiawmoit (HSPDP) moved a call attention motion on the Williamnagar jail attack and the plight of the family of the diseased.
Responding to the motion, Warjri said that the Government will take steps to release Rs 1 lakh each for the two families.
Basaiawmoit also demanded that the Government should take steps to provide the full salary of the slain jail staff to the family members till the age of their retirement.
“There are many unanswered questions that remain till today and I want to know why was late Neil Warjri sent to Williamnagar jail under duress?” the Nongkrem legislator questioned.
The legislator also wanted to know why the authorities deputed Warjri to the jail without providing sufficient security given the deteriorating law and order situation in East Garo Hills District.
The HSPDP legislator also wanted to know why no action was taken against the on-duty sentry for failing to retaliate against the criminals.
He also wanted to know whether the killing of the Assistant Jailor had any links to the infamous Shillong Jail break.
Basaiawmoit expressed apprehension against the growing trend of selective targeting of innocent people and asked the Government to take steps to prevent any such repeat in future.
Warjri, while replying to the motion, narrated the incident and said that at around 9 pm on February 2, a firing took place at Williamnagar jail and the police later found that two persons were lying on the ground, one of whom was identified as Neil Warjri.
The injured warder was taken to Williamnagar Civil Hospital and later referred to Tura Civil Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries at 2 am on February 3.
“Upon proper inquiry, it was found that a group of 8 to 10 unidentified armed miscreants had entered inside the outer compound of Williamnagar jail complex which is accessible to the quarters of the jail staff through one of the porous boundary walls at the back side, approaching to the front gate of the main gate”, Warjri said. The police also recovered empty cases of ammunition used for firing.
According to Warjri, investigation on the incident is on and all efforts are being made to arrest the perpetrators of the crime.
She said that the magisterial inquiry on the incident was submitted to the Government.
To the question on why the Assistant Jailor was sent to Williamnagar jail, the Minister said that the jail did not have any Superintendent at that point of time.
She also assured that all the other points raised by Basaiawmoit would be examined by the Government.