Shillong, March 28: VPP legislator, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit on Tuesday questioned who had given the order to the police to eliminate former HNLC general secretary, late Cheristerfield Thangkhiew , the former HNLC leader, on the wee hours of August 13, 2021.
“I am sure that no police personnel will have the courage to kill a person if there was no order given to them. I request the government not to find a scapegoat or small chap who are supposed to simply obey the orders of the government,” Basaiawmoit said while moving a cut motion on the last of the Assembly budget session.
He observed that this is a complete failure on the part of those who are at the helm of affairs even as demanding that they should come out clean on this issue.
“Remember that the blood is in the hands of MDA 1.0,” the VPP legislator said.
Meanwhile, Basaiawmoit said that he has full faith in the police department since they have been able to neutralized the militancy in the state when the dreaded HNLC and ANVC were at its peak.
“I will not believe that the same police who responsible for bringing back normalcy to the state will not be able to arrest the former HNLC secretary alive especially when he was in his sick bed.
According to him, no one will believe that the police who have received medals after medals for their excellent performance will not be able to arrest late Thangkhiew alive.
The VPP legislator further mentioned that retired Justice T. Vaiphei in his report which was tabled on the floor of the Assembly stated that the tactical team I who had carried out the operation to arrest the deceased at his residence on August 13, 2021, at about 3 am was culpable of thoughtless and excessive use of force which resulted in the death of the deceased late Thangkhiew.
He also questioned what action has been taken as a follow-up to the report of retired Justice Vaiphei.
“I am sure if the police department was given a free hand to deal with this specific case. The former General Secretary of the HNLC would have been caught alive because I have full trust in the police personnel of the state,” Basaiawmoit said
He, however, said that due to the excessive interference on the part of the political master, police personnel was not given a chance to deal with the case independently.
“The people of Mawlai and the family members of late Thangkhiew till today are still waiting for justice,” the VPP legislator added.