North Garo Hills fake encounter case of Dec 2010
SHILLONG: The State exchequer has become poorer by Rs 20 lakh, a whopping one time amount to be disbursed to the families of four GNLA militants killed in an alleged fake encounter in December, 2010 in North Garo Hills.
After the recent direction of NHRC, the State government has processed the matter.
An official source told The Shillong Times on Tuesday that the finance department is processing Rs.20 lakhs to be disbursed to the families of fake encounter victims.
It was in the early hours of December 10, 2010 that GNLA leader Joking Momin and three other cadres were killed in an encounter with the police at Gajingpara in North Garo Hills.
The allegations of fake encounter and medical negligence surfaced a day after the killing of the cadres.
The NHRC which pursued the case pointed out that finger prints were not taken from the weapons recovered from the deceased and no tests were conducted to establish whether the dead persons handed the weapons before they were shot. The hand wash of the four persons were also not tested.
The NHRC pointed out that the contention of the police that the four men were killed in self defence was untenable le
As per the official Meghalaya police website in 2010, the police had already arrested two cadres of GNLA – Earnes Marak and Wallen A. Marak – on December 9.
During interrogation the cadres revealed that more GNLA members, including Joking Momin, were taking shelter at Gajingpara.
On December 10 at around 3.30 PM, police rushed to Gajingpara, launched an operation and arrested four GNLA cadres – Joking Momin, Pinseng Marak, Elben Marak and Goben Marak.
According to the police portal, while arresting Joking Momin, suddenly a group of armed militants, (GNLA breakaway faction) arrived in an auto rickshaw and started firing with their weapons.Police also retaliated and in the process all the four GNLA cadres including Joking Momin received bullet injuries. They were removed to Community Health Centre, Resubelpara, but due to absence of Medical & Health Officer (M&HO) at the CHC, they were referred to CHC, Williamnagar. Later, the M&HO of Williamnagar civil hospital declared Joking Momin, Pinseng Marak, Elben Marak and Goben Marak dead.
During the search operations of the shootout site, police recovered and seized two pistols, one revolver with few ammunition and incriminating documents.
However, the statement issued by the then superintendent of police, Sylvester Nongtnger contradicted with the report in the crime update on the police website.
As per the statement of the police official, on December 9 after getting information about the militants taking shelter in Gajingpara, the police arrested six cadres from the area.
The police official, however, did not mention the time of the arrest, though later it was known to be in the wee hours of December 10, after 3 AM.
The police statement also said that it was while apprehending Joking Momin, the leader of the group that suddenly another group of armed militants, a faction of GNLA, arrived there in an auto rickshaw and started firing from their weapons indiscriminately.
The statement of the SP further said that the police party too promptly retaliated and in the process of cross firing, four cadres including Joking Momin and three others “died on the spot”.
However, the police website said that they were declared dead at Williamnagar civil hospital after they were brought injured.