Wild fruit death case: Kin of deceased reluctant to move court

SHILLONG: Fear of any repercussion from some quarters in the state has prevented the relatives of 14 labourers, who died after consuming wild fruit in East Jantia Hills last year to file a PIL in the High Court of Meghalaya.
The lawyer who prepared the PIL on the request of the relatives from Assam is unable to move the petition since the relatives are now not coming forward due to fear.
According to the lawyer, through the PIL, he wanted to urge the High Court to initiate a high level inquiry and adequate compensation to the affected families.
The lawyer said that though Assam government had paid monetary compensation to the workers, nothing was given to them by Meghalaya government.
On April 5 night, exactly a year ago, the 14 road construction labourers died after consuming the wild fruit in their camp.
The initial reports said that the wild fruits locally known as Soh Khuaitur were found in their kitchen and a portion of the same fruit crushed and mixed with onion and chilly was also noticed.
It was   one  Victor Suja of Lamarsiang Village informed the Officer In-Charge of Saipung Police Station in East Jaintia Hills that the 14 road construction labourers, who were working for him at Umphum, around 15 km deep in the interior area, were found dead at around 8.30 am on April 16  at the camp.The preliminary probe reports and post mortem report had indicated food poisoning as the cause of death of 14 labourers, but the reports have not made it clear whether poison was from the wild fruit, or any other edible.Police had also sent the viscera and the wild fruit among others for forensic examination.