Although the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has not covered itself with glory insofar as identifying the sources of terror in Jammu and Kashmir is concerned and has perhaps bungled by prescribing what a journalist should and should not be doing, it has in some instances been able to deliver quick results. In India we are crippled by the fact that we are unable to rely on any single investigative agency to remain absolutely objective and result-oriented in their task. The CBI is termed a ‘caged parrot’ which serves the interest of the ruling dispensation. This has robbed the agency of its reputation as a credible investigating body. The brief of the NIA is to investigate cases related to terror activities. In this context there is a clamour from different political parties in Meghalaya, particularly the National People’s Party to set the ball rolling for a quick investigation by the NIA on the recent killing of MLA candidate from Williamnagar, Jonathone Sangma and two others on account of a powerful IED blast.
The NIA is expected to have the technical and scientific expertise to go into every case of terror killing and to enable the state to prevent such incidents from recurring. In Meghalaya, many ghastly crimes have been committed since the communal riots of 1979. Rape cases galore are lying unsolved and most cases fail because to hold up in a court of law because of shabby investigation which is torn to shreds by the defence lawyers. Jonathone Sangma’s case and that of his two associates who died with him will remain one of those unsolved mysteries if it is handled by the state police. It is incumbent upon the central government to step in and commission the NIA to investigate the recent killing. The state police failed to act in a timely manner despite the literal writing on the wall with the picture of blood and bullets, warning Jonathone’s supporters about the reprisals that would follow if they voted for him. This should inform us that the state police intelligence is in shambles. We cannot afford this slackness especially as another IED was found near the same place the following day. This intelligence failure has led to the loss of lives of many young policemen to militant bullets. Internal security in Meghalaya needs a serious makeover.
