SHILLONG: The wife of a school teacher, who was murdered along with four others in Garo Hills, after they were suspected of practicing witchcraft, has decided to file a fresh petition seeking justice for her dead husband.
Prijinni Ch Marak, widow of David Maxeneir T Sangma, has taken this decision since she was not satisfied with the petition filed by government counsel P.L. Sebastian on behalf of the family of the deceased.
“I have decided to file a fresh petition demanding that all those involved should be punished as per law,” Marak told newspersons here on Friday.
She further clarified that her husband was neither involved in witchcraft nor militancy.
CSWO leader from Garo Hills, Jenny Sangma, said the petition filed by the government counsel had stated that the family had approached the Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills for a magisterial inquiry into the case to unearth the ‘real culprits’.
“The family is not satisfied with the word used in the petition – to find the real culprits,” Sangma said while informing that the family knew beyond doubt that Jepson T Sangma of Mrigre village was behind the murder.
Jepson T Sangma was amongst those arrested recently by police in connection with the multiple murder case.
The CSWO leader said that Jepson had admitted in a village meeting held on Jan 23 that they had killed five members of the family since they were involved in witchcraft and militancy.
“The use of words ‘real culprits’ is suspected to be a ploy to help the accused especially Jepson, who has interest in the land belonging to David’s family as he is a cousin,” she said.
The CSWO leader further stated that linking the murders with militants was also a conspiracy.
“David had no links with any militant group and the legal counsel instead of trying to help the aggrieved family tried to help the accused by mentioning in the letter to the DC that the magisterial inquiry is for finding the real culprits when the real culprit (Jepson) has been arrested,” she alleged.
However when contacted, PL Sebastian told The Shillong Times that he had taken up the matter seeing the plight of the children of the deceased.
“My attempt was to provide some sort of compensation to the family and I am defending the victim and not the accused,” Sebastian clarified.
It was after the victim approached the Social Welfare department that the lawyer was entrusted with the case by the department.
The bodies of five persons were recovered from a mass grave at Mrigre village in West Garo Hills District.
The victims were allegedly tortured and lynched to death by the villagers on the suspicion that they practiced witchcraft.
The incident took place on Jan 7 but the matter was hushed up until police cracked the case while investigating a missing person’s report filed by a relative of one of the deceased.
What followed was a thorough investigation into the case and recording of statements of at least sixty villagers before the police were led to the two sites where the bodies had been buried.
When the bodies were exhumed for inquest, all the victims were found with their hands tied behind their backs and their bodies bore marks and patches indicating they suffered fatal injuries caused by blunt objects.
Among those who were murdered were school teacher David and his father Hedison B Marak.
In another grave, the bodies of Hallen T Sangma, his wife Bala T Sangma (elder sister of David) and their son Washing T Sangma (30) were found with the same treatment meted out to them before their death.
