Probe panel submits report
SHILLONG: The West Agro Hills district administration has received the magisterial probe report into the assault of 12 women in Tura and the report will be forwarded to the Government on Sunday.
The West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi said on Saturday said that the report was sent to him on Saturday from the office of the Dadenggre Sub Divisional Officer (Civil) Sibhi C. Sadhu, who conducted the inquiry.
Saddhu completed the task before he went to attend the funeral of his father who expired on Monday.
Bakshi said that he would forward the report to the Government. “I will send the report in the night bus on Sunday so that the Social Welfare Department can get the copy of the report on Monday,” Bakhsi said.
The official, however, refused to divulge the content of the report.
There was demand from the pressure groups from Garo Hills for a high level probe into the incident in the context of the death of Balsan Marak, one of the arrested persons in connection with the assault case in judicial custody.
The pressure groups had demanded judicial probe into the matter.
On June 11 the matter was raised in the Assembly by Clifford Marak (GNC) through a call attention motion and the reply of the Social Welfare Department minister Deborah Marak was that the Government would wait for the report of the magisterial probe before commenting anything on whether the Government should go for a high level inquiry.
Clifford Marak had demanded a probe to be headed by either a retired Judge or the sitting Judge of the Meghalaya High Court. There were many twists and turns after several women NGO leaders were arrested in connection with the assault of girls.
It is yet to be known whether the role of ceasefire group ANVC is reflected in the report as there were indications that some cadres of ANVC were also allegedly involved in the assault of the12 girls. The allegations were also made by the breakaway group of ANVC-B. Sources said that the report has narrated various factors which led to the assault of 12 girls and there were no new revelations on the incident.