Shillong, June 20: The Meghalaya Assembly Committee on Empowerment of Women (MACEW) informed that the State Government has decided to provide an ex-gratia payment to the tune of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the two minors who were allegedly killed by their father, Joefreeson Jana on the night of May 30 last.
The Director General of Police (DGP) Lajja Ram Bishnoi, Chairperson of Meghalaya State Women Commission (MSCW), Phidalia Toi and Chairperson of Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR), Iamonlang M Syiem on Monday deposed before the assembly committee in connection with the May 30 filicide case that has rocked the state.
Talking to reporters, MACEW chairperson, Ampareen Lyngdoh said that they had been informed that the Social Welfare department was processing the ex-gratia payment to be given to the family members.
“We hope that this will happen quickly and it will help the family to get the best of lawyers to fight this case in the court,” Lyngdoh said.
Stating that the committee is concerned about this heinous crime, she informed that the committee felt that it was now necessary for the police, MSWC and MSCPCR to sit and discuss all details regarding domestic violence and registering of complaints by the mother of the two minors.
She said that they had instructed the three parties to immediately meet and take cognizance of all omissions and commissions as and when, if at all, they occurred.
As far as the status of action taken report by the police, Lyngdoh said that they had left it to the two commissions to have their discussion and to get back with the report to the committee.
MACWE chairperson said that the one thing that has emerged from this interaction with the police department and the two commissions is there is a need to tighten all cases of reports of domestic violence to the police stations across the State.
“The filing of missing children is another important concern in the discussions which had taken place and we are of the opinion that this case should progress rapidly towards the charge sheeting otherwise again there could be a lot of unnecessary delay on the matter,” she said.
“We are going to follow up to ensure that justice is not denied to these two innocent victims who met with such a horrible end to their life,” Lyngdoh said.
Pointing out that there seem to be some lapses, MACWE chairperson, however, said that the matter was now in the court of law and there was need to have faith on the judiciary that it would take necessary action in this case.
She further informed that they requested the DGP that women police stations and personnel manning them should be aware of the rights of the citizens.
“Whenever such incidents occur they are bound by law to involve all authorities in operation in the State,” Lyngdoh added. (EOM)