By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 7: The family of former HNLC leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, who was killed last month by the police in an alleged fake encounter, said he was a victim of a bigger conspiracy and the state government is answerable to people.
“I don’t see any reason behind the police eliminating my ailing elder brother. There is a bigger conspiracy. It needs to be unravelled as to who had issued the order to the police to kill my brother,” Thangkhiew’s younger brother Granary Starfield Thangkhiew said at a peace rally, organised by “Ka Sur Ehrngiew ki Nong Malki” which is a conglomerate of various groups from Malki area, on Tuesday.
Insisting that the government has to take responsibility for the death, he asked why the police had not arrested his brother if they had inputs about his involvement in the twin blasts at Khliehriat and Shillong.
“We would like to know if there is anything which the government wants to hide. The police could have gathered more information about the blasts by arresting my brother. They could have arrested more people based on the leads which my brother would have provided,” Granary said.
He said nobody would be able to verify the claim made by the police about his brother’s involvement in the two incidents.
“My only objection is that the police killed my brother without giving him a chance to dismiss the allegations levelled against him in the court of law,” Granary said.
He said the reasons behind Thangkhiew’s killing will remain unanswered if a free, fair and impartial probe is not instituted. He asked the government to come clean on the issue.
“I will fight for justice for my brother till the end of my life. I don’t want anyone to go through a similar trauma due to the ill motives of the police,” he said, adding the family is overwhelmed to see support coming in from various groups and people for justice in the case.
Donboklang Kharlyngdoh, who is a member of “Ka Sur Ki Nong Mawlai”, said, “We will try to unite all groups from various parts of Khasi and Jaintia Hills region in Shillong by next week and decide how we can intensify our movement. Such an incident should not recur,” Kharlyngdoh said.
Hundreds of people, along with the members of various pressure groups from Malki comprising KSU, FKJGP, HYC, HNYF and Seng Samla Malki took out a procession to various parts of Malki demanding justice for Thangkhiew.
‘Refusal’ to punish
top cops slammed
Ka Sur Ki Nong Mawlai, an umbrella body of 11 organisations on Tuesday questioned the state government’s refusal to suspend the police officers allegedly involved when even Governor Satya Pal Malik has disapproved of the killing of the former HNLC leader.
Stating that the Governor termed Thangkhiew’s death as “unfortunate”, a member of the conglomeration, Marbud Dkhar resented “adamant” stand of the state.
“We are not going to give up unless the government suspends the three top police officials,” he said.
He also said the government should not have granted permission to Director General of Police R. Chandranathan to go on leave till the judicial inquiry into Thangkhiew’s death was over.
“How can they shift the blame to head constables whose names are kept under wraps? If this is a game of chess, then we are not happy with only the pawn and the queen. We want the king to be punished since he is responsible for the killing of the former HNLC leader,” Dkhar said.
Another member, Donboklang Kharlyngdoh slammed HSPDP’s Mawkyrwat legislator and PHE Minister, Renikton L. Tongkhar for refusing to sign the letter to support their demand on the ground that the matter needs to be discussed among the Regional Democratic Alliance partners.
The HSPDP and UDP are in this alliance.
“It is really unfortunate that the Mawkyrwat MLA has taken a U-turn since he had assured us of his support during the first meeting. Tongkhar will have to be answerable to his voters for failing to stand on an issue that concerns the overall interest of the indigenous population,” Kharlyngdoh said.
He, however, said he was not surprised by this development since politicians are known to change colours.
Three MLAs – PT Sawkmie, HM Shangpliang and Adelbert Nongrum – have assured to raise the issue related to Thangkhiew’s death during the upcoming autumn session of the Assembly.
“We are hoping that more MLAs would back our demand in the days to come,” Kharlyngdoh said.