Meghalaya govt firm on independent probe into assault on social activists

SHILLONG:  Despite the demand from the victim, Amita Sangma and the family members of CSWO President Agnes Kharshiing for a CBI probe into the murderous attack on them in East Jaintia Hills recently, the State Government is firm on carrying out an independent judicial inquiry into the matter.
Talking to media persons here on Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong said that  the Government would soon write to the Chief Justice of the High Court of Meghalaya to appoint a retired judge to carryout out the judicial probe and it will be the wisdom of the Chief Justice to appoint anybody to probe the matter.
He, however, said that if there is a change in the decision of the Government as far as asking Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate into the matter, the matter has to be discussed and decided in the state Cabinet.
It may be mentioned that Amita Sangma and the family members of CSWO President Agnes Kharshiing has recently met Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma to ask for a CBI inquiry into the matter and Chief Minister had maintained that the Government would examine the demand.
When asked about the involvement of NPP West and East Jaintia Hills working president Nidamon Chullet into the attack on the social activists, Tynsong said that  anybody who is found to be involved in the incident would be terminated  from the party.
It may be mentioned that Chullet and few others who are accused of  assaulting the social activists are still at large.
However, Tynsong said that the Government has full faith in the police and police would do its job well as far as investigating into the matter.
When asked about the allegations that illegal transportation of coal is still taking place in the state, he said that right from the tenure of the previous Government, illegal transportation of coal was taking place and it even caught the attention of the media.
He also said that the recent order of the Supreme Court allowing transportation of coal indicates that extracted coal was lying in the coal mine areas.