JOWAI: The president of Jaintia Youth Federation (JYF), Poipynhun Majaw was found murdered at Khliehriat on Monday night.
Police said the youth leader, who was also an RTI activist, was murdered by “unidentified miscreants”.
Sources said Majaw left Jowai around 11 am on Monday. He travelled to Khliehriat in a reserved local taxi that waited till 11.15 pm before he returned to Jowai alone. He had asked the driver to park the vehicle on the premises of Khliehriat West Community Hall.
Majaw was last seen around 3 pm talking to an unknown biker. Later his body was recovered from a place called Umsyllih near the dumping ground of Khliehriat Town Committee, about 2km away from the DC office on Khliehriat Rymbai Road.
A local resident of Khliehriat who is an explosive license holder first spotted the body lying in a pool of blood and informed the police around 10 pm.
The slain youth leader was hit on the head from behind with a metallic object, possibly an iron rod, four or five times, the police said.
The police failed to recover the mobile phone of the youth leader but recovered a bike with fake registration number from the spot.
It was speculated that Majaw was taken to a place by the biker and he was hit from behind while he was talking to another person. It was also presumed that he went to meet someone for financial or business purpose. Majaw’s wallet with two Rs 500 notes, ATM and ID cards were found lying scattered near the body.
According to the doctor who did the postmortem, Majaw might have been killed between 6 pm and 9 pm. “He already had his dinner,” a doctor who conducted the autopsy said.
East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police N Lamare said, “We have had some lead though not conclusive and hope to find out the real culprits soon.”
A magistrate said it was a well-planned murdered.
One of his phones was still ringing till Monday afternoon. This correspondent and former MLA have even talked to the receiver after frequent dialling. The receiver of the phone spoke in Hindi.
Police are trying to track the mobile phones and find the owner of the motorbike.
The body of the JYF leader was brought to Lumpariat locality, Jowai, and the funeral will take place at Ladthadlaboh Presbyterian Church at 1.30 pm on Wednesday.
Majaw was one of the active NGO leaders in Jaintia Hills. He was the president of the federation for more than six years.
When contacted, a top official of Meghalaya police said the East Jaintia Hills SP has been directed to carry out a thorough investigation and arrest the accused.
NGOs condemn murder
NGOs from Jaintia Hills, including the JYF and AJYWO, have condemned the killing of Majaw.
In a statement issued here, JYF General Secretary F Rymbai said the sudden demise of the president “is a great lost to his family and also to the organisation”.
The youth federation has also sent a condolence message to the bereaved family.
Meanhwile, the vice-president of the All Jaiñtia Youth Welfare Organisation central body, JR Siangshai, in a statement said, “The killing of an RTI activist and JYF president is a threat to the society and we demand that the district police should take the case seriously to hunt for the real culprits and punish them as per law.” (With inputs from Shillong)
