By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The magisterial probe into the killing of three ANVC (B) cadres at Dobu in March this year revealed that no sufficient time was given by the security forces to the cadres to surrender.
Three ANVC (B) militants were killed in an encounter with SWAT and State Police at Dobu – Chittingbing village on the morning of March 9.
The First Class Magistrate, Williamnagar, Dr. WCR Marak, who conducted the magisterial probe, said in his report, “The question on whether sufficient opportunities were given to the suspected militants to surrender cannot be answered in the affirmative”.
It was at the thatched house premises of Garo couple Sengkut Sangma and Sunilla N Marak that the three ANVC (B) cadres, who were part of a gang of militants, were killed.
The militants used to frequent the house to take shelter and also for cooking food.
However, the couple did not have any links with the militants and they were even forced to eat the food prepared by the militants.
The house was situated in an isolated place in a jungle in East Garo Hills.
Stating that the call of the security forces to the militants to surrender may not have been so audible, the probe report said,” The house (of the couple) is situated on the edge of the village and surrounded by thick jungle. There were only one or two houses nearby and the nearest being the house of Bialson Sangma, who is also the father-in-law of Sengkut Sangma”.
According to the magistrate, the only real eyewitnesses were the SWAT team and Sub Inspector, Nagendar Ray of Dobu, who was also with the SWAT team at the time of the encounter.
The battalion personnel of Dobu and the couple, Sengkut Sangma and his wife Sunilla N Marak, were evacuated and stationed on a higher ground overlooking the house.
“The chances of hearing the calls to the suspected militants for surrender by the team leader of SWAT Robert AM Sangma, Sub Inspector Nagendar Ray, the battalion personnel of Dobu, Sengkut Sangma and his wife Sunilla N Marak would be negligible,” the report said.
The magistrate said that when asked specifically, they all (battalion personnel of Dobu, Sengkut Sangma and his wife Sunilla N Marak) replied that they were scared and just lay on the ground and heard nothing except the barrage of gunshots.
The nearest neighbour, Bialson N Sangma, also stated in his deposition that he was asleep and woke up only after hearing the gunshots.
Sangma told the magistrate that he had heard nothing except gunshots.
Nagendar Ray in his deposition said that suspected militants approached the house in two groups of four to five persons each. The first group entered the kitchen while the second group stayed back at a distance.
Sub Inspector Ray also said that at that point of time, they (SWAT and police) did not know whether they were militants or civilians because they did not see any weapons with them.
Robert Sangma and Ray had claimed that they had shouted at the militants to surrender, which, however, could not be heard by Bialson Sangma, the battalion personnel, Sengkut Sangma and his wife Sunilla N Marak as stated before the magistrate in their depositions.
However, after careful perusal of the statements recorded, it may be stated that both police and SWAT could not ascertain the identities of persons whether they were militants or villagers and that persons approaching were not seen to be carrying arms as stated by Nagendar Ray in his written statement, the report said.
“Therefore, the conclusion can be drawn that out of fear of mistaken identity, SWAT and SI Nagendar Ray could have called out to the suspected militants to surrender as claimed. However, this premise, because of the lack corroborative evidence and eyewitnesses cannot be independently confirmed,” the magistrate added.