SHILLONG: The High Court of Meghalaya has ordered a judicial inquiry into the alleged ‘fake encounter’ of Sengbath Ch. Marak on March 4, 2015 in West Garo Hills.
The allegation was that he was shot dead from close range by police personnel engaged in counter insurgency operation in the morning.
During a hearing on a writ petition filed by Abal M. Sangma, the father of the victim and the Nokma of the area, the Court was of the view that there is only one way out and that is further enquiry by a Judicial Officer.
The District Judge, Tura was entrusted with the job to conduct a thorough enquiry and to submit the report before the Court within five months.
Earlier, the counsel of the petitioner M F Qureshi while alleging that it was a fake encounter submitted that as per the enquiry report submitted by the Additional District Magistrate, West Garo Hills, maximum number of bullets were pumped inside the body of the victim and so Government may be directed to grant adequate compensation.
On the other hand, Additional State counsel, S. Sen Gupta said that the Government is unable to accept the enquiry report filed by the Additional District Magistrate, West Garo Hills.
The matter will come up for hearing as and when the report is submitted by the District Judge, Tura for further order.
It was on March 4, 2015 at around 3 am, when a team of Meghalaya Police personnel while carrying out the operation against GNLA militants came near the house of the petitioner’s son. They first threw a stone on the roof and fired in the air calling those inside the house to come out and since the petitioner’s son was inside his own house he came out of the house to extend cooperation to the police but unfortunately on seeing him, a police man by the name of Mingran T.Sangma shot at his leg and thereafter, he was forced to run and while doing so the petitioner’s son was shot by the police personnel who sprayed bullets onto his body.
The writ petition added that the incident was witnessed by some of the people who were present on the spot, adding that some of the witnesses who came to the spot were also harassed by the police.
The petitioner submitted that it was a fake encounter wherein the victim was eliminated by the police in a most negligent and deliberate manner despite the fact that the deceased did not posses any arms or retaliated by firing on the police team.
