Four months on, no end to assaulted victims’ agony

SHILLONG: Four months on, there is no end to the agony of the assaulted activists, Agnes Kharshiing and Amita Sangma, who had resisted illegal coal mining in East Jaintia Hills.
The activists were brutally assaulted on November 8 by coal mafia and despite demands, the state government refused to hand over the case to the CBI and instead, the government assured a judicial inquiry.
When contacted, an official source said the state government is yet to appoint any judicial commission.
After Amita filed a case in the High Court of Meghalaya for a CBI probe into the incident, the police assured the court that a charge sheet will be filed.
Though the court had ordered the state government to look into the medical expenditure of the victims, they are yet to get the reimbursement.
Sources said there was no follow up on the order of the Ampareen Lyngdoh-led Assembly committee on women empowerment to provide Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the victims.
The committee had also demanded an independent probe into the matter.
Agnes said though several persons had assaulted her and Amita, it was a matter of concern that many of them secured bail while others are still at large.