SHILLONG: Adding a sensational twist to the death of Sub-Inspector Promoth Sangma during an anti-insurgency operation in West Garo Hills on October 23, the proscribed GNLA has claimed that it was the bullets of the State Police that killed the policeman.
Self-styled deputy commander-in-chief of GNLA, Toding Marak, in a statement issued to the media said that Sangma’s death in an encounter with militants in Songmagre village near Purakhasia as alleged by West Garo Hills Addl. Superintendent of Police, Bruno A. Sangma, was mysterious and in contradiction with the statement of the villagers who were witnesses to the incident.
“The villagers informed that there were no militants in the village. It was a sheer mistake on the part of the police team. They could not identify their own men owing to the darkness. They started to open fire assuming that the cadres were holed up inside the village and their bullets hit late Promoth Sangma leading to his death,” Toding Marak claimed, quoting a villager.
The GNLA further claimed that the incident reflected the incompetency and inefficiency of the police team. “This kind of incident has happened earlier in 2011 in the remote village of Dorengkigre under Williamnagar PS where police were responsible for taking the life of three of their own men,” the GNLA leader added.
Castigating Meghalaya Police for pinning the killing on the militants, Toding Marak demanded a high-level inquiry into the death of Promoth Sangma.
“We urge and challenge the Government to constitute a fair inquiry to find out whose bullets had hit Sangma,” the outfit said.
“Meghalaya Police should learn a lesson and not play blame game against the militants since it is now clear that militant organizations were not involved in the incident that took place at Songmagre,” the GNLA leader further added.