SHILLONG: An RTI reply accessed by CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing on the mysterious death of MLP 2nd Battalion personnel Joseph Lalthlanmua Thlau inside the battalion barrack at DC Office Complex, Ampati, hours before counting of votes for the GHADC polls on October 15, has revealed that the same weapon (Sten Gun Mark II with butt number 128) was issued to Naik Herwith N Marak and LNK Joseph Lalthiamuana Thlau respectively on February 28 this year.
However, the reply to the RTI query said that while both the personnel were in Garobadha, the weapon may have got inter changed unknowingly.
The RTI report further said that Herwith N Marak deposited the weapon (Sten Gun Mark II butt number 128) issued to Joseph Lalthiamuana Thlau, on October 8 at the 2nd MLP battalion armory in order to exchange with SLR.
The reply to RTI query also mentions that the duty time of Joseph was till 5 am of October 15, but he went to the battalion barrack at DC office complex where he was found dead with bullet injuries at around 3 am. Questions are doing the rounds as to why he had to go to the battalion barrack at 3 am without a replacement if his duty time was till 5 am.
The public information officer, however, has not provided copies of the post mortem report and the CCTV footages of the strong room which the police personnel was guarding to the RTI applicant by stating that the inquiry was under progress.
Mystery still surrounds the death of the police personnel as one police report said he was found dead at 3:20 am on October 15 while guarding the strong room of the EVMs at Ampati, while the Meghalaya Police website claimed that Joseph had committed suicide inside the battalion barrack at DC Office Complex, Ampati.
Tura DSP M. Kundu has been entrusted with the task of probing the matter.
