SHILLONG, May 16: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the states of Assam and Meghalaya as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs to submit their final reports on or before June 11, detailing the action taken in the Mukroh firing tragedy on November 22 last year.
The NHRC directive comes in the wake of a case filed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) through its national spokesperson, Saket Gokhale, following the incident in Mukroh village of Meghalaya where Assam security forces shot dead five residents of the village.
On February 21 this year, the NHRC had issued orders to the states of Assam and Meghalaya as well as the Government of India to submit a status report regarding the investigation into the matter.
On March 6, 2023, the Joint Secretary, Department of Home (Political), submitted a report stating that the magisterial enquiry report on the firing incident in Mukroh village is under the examination of the Meghalaya government. The one-man inquiry commission examining the matter was also given an extension of two months.
Thereafter, on March 21, 2023, the Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, submitted a statement stating that a meeting was conveyed on November 18, 2022, with Chief Secretaries of Assam and Meghalaya and the Assam government was requested to finalise and enforce the standard operating procedures (SoPs) and take requisite measures for avoiding use of lethal weapons against the civil/miscreants.
The current status report on the issue is still awaited.
The TMC, meanwhile, has called the ‘inordinate delay’ in providing justice to the victims of the Mukroh firing ‘shameful’, adding that it “reflects the utter disregard of the governments of Assam and Meghalaya towards the lives of tribals of Meghalaya”.
“It is shocking that the report of the one-man Commission instituted by the Government of Meghalaya is still pending and that the deadline has conveniently been shifted by another two months,” the TMC, which is determined to hold the Meghalaya and Assam government accountable, said.
It said that the party will keep following up on the case relentlessly with the NHRC and demand strict action against the Assam and Meghalaya government as well as the Centre if the final report is not submitted within the deadline.
