TURA: North Garo Hills district administration has released ex gratia payment of Rs 3 lakhs each to the next of kin of Sweetbirth D Marak and Elphius Momin who were killed by Army personnel because mistaken identity in November 2015. Sweetbirth D Marak (30) and Elphius Momin (35), both residents of Rajasimla of North Garo Hills district, were returning home on a two wheeler on the night of November 26, 2015 when army personnel belonging to the Rongjuli camp in Assam gunned them down mistaking them for militants. The two were killed near Konchikol under Kharkutta police outpost. Soon after the killing, there was mass outcry by NGOs as well as the general public condemning the incident and demanding action against the guilty army personnel. The district administration later ordered a magisterial inquiry into the killing and Additional District Magistrate (ADM), David D Sangma, was put in charge of the inquiry. On Friday, ex gratia in the form of two cheques of Rs 3 lakhs each were handed over to the next of kin of the two victims by the deputy commissioner in his office chamber. |
