Two mysteries buried in absence of high-level probe
SHILLONG: The killing of UALA leader Norok X. Momin alias Singbirth N. Marak by North Garo Hills Police has deepened the mystery about the real culprits behind the gunning down of two prison staff at Williamnagar jail and the handing over of weapons by the police to ANVC-B to take on GNLA.
The magisterial probe report on the Williamnagar jail attack, a copy of which is available with The Shillong Times, did not indict Norok though police had claimed in the past that he was behind the crime.
On February 2, 2013, armed assailants entered the jail and two jail officials – Assistant Jailer Neil Warjri and Warder Sarai Singh Thabah – were dragged out and shot dead in cold blood.
Police had initially suspected GNLA and later their stand was that the attack was carried out by a team led by Norok who was then the ANVC-B commander.
According to the magisterial inquiry report, the target of the militants was Warjri and not Thabah. The magisterial probe report, however, negated the allegation against Norok as it did not name any militant group.
The report said Assistant Jailer Warjri came to Williamnagar prison for duty only on January 31, 2013, and the incident took place on February 2. However, Norok, who was arrested in connection with the attack on the then MPCC working president, Deborah Marak, was out on bail much before Warjri was posted.
The report further said only a proper investigation into the crime by a police investigating officer will bring to light which militant group was behind the crime. Police, however, did not follow up the suggestion of the magistrate. Another mystery that was buried was Norok’s allegation made in May 2013 that the police and the State Government had provided arms to ANVC (B) to take on GNLA.
Norok, in a statement issued to the media that year, had alleged that the then Circle Inspector of Williamnagar, T.C Chacko, had handed over two AK-56 and one AK-47 rifles to Rimpu Marak when he was part of the ANVC to take on GNLA. Rimpu later formed ANVC-B and became its chairman.
Norok, who was then with ANVC-B, had also said he was witness to the handing over of the weapons.
Rimpu had denied the allegation of Norok by saying the statement was aimed at derailing the early settlement of peace pact with the State Government.
However, the pressure groups and GNLA had sought a CBI probe into the matter following the revelation.
Later, as pressure mounted on the State Government, it ordered a magisterial probe into the matter headed by then Additional District Magistrate M.K Marak from East Garo Hills.
Official sources said the magistrate could not proceed with the probe as he did not get any cooperation from Chacko, who demanded another magistrate to be appointed to probe the matter.
Sources said before Marak was transferred to Shillong, a preliminary report was sent to the Political Department on September 13, 2013, by the East Garo Hills district administration for further action. The sources added that the Political Department did not pursue the matter.
The manner in which Norok was killed on Saturday night has raised questions on what happened to the group of militants who was with Norok when the police resorted to a brief exchange of fire at Matronggre village area in North Garo Hills around 7 pm. Neither police personnel nor the militants who were with Nork were injured in the incident. The clichéd statement of the police was “the militants taking advantage of firing, darkness and forest cover fled from the place of occurrence”.
The statement of North Garo Hills SP Dalton Marak to the media also said after about half an hour when the surrounding area was searched by the police team, they came across a suspected militant (Norok) at about 300 meters from the place of occurrence “who fired from the bushes again and the police had to resort to firing in order to subdue him”.
Curiously, there was a posse of police men – the district police team and SF-10 Commandos – but they could not make Norok surrender.
The police statement dramatically added that it was only in the morning that the relatives identified the body of Norok giving an impression that police could not identify him despite the fact that police who knew his identity, were hunting for him.
Sources said if Norok would have been captured alive, the police would have got many clues regarding the formation of the new militant outfit christened as United Achik National Front (UANF).
Moreover, he would have provided inputs related to who was behind the attack on Williamnagar jail staff and regarding police handing over of arms to ANVC-B in the past.