SHILLONG, June 16: The Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW) has taken note of the alleged murder of 30-year-old pregnant woman Steffanie Lyngdoh Nonglait by her husband Trophius Nongbri and said it will work closely with the police during the course of investigation.
Nongbri was arrested by the police after an FIR was lodged against him by Steffanie’s younger sister Amanda Lyngdoh Nonglait. The accused was produced in a local court which remanded him to two-day police custody.
MSCW member F Jyrwa told The Shillong Times the commission will work with the police to get justice for the family. The members of the commission visited the family on Friday to show moral support.
Condemning the incident, Jyrwa said the commission is concerned about rising incidents of crime against women, particularly domestic violence and murder.
“We are also concerned since the pregnant mother left behind two minor children,” she said, adding the commission would meet soon and decide on its future course of action.
“We suggested if a certain amount can be given to the family as financial assistance but it is upto the state government to decide,” Jyrwa said.
Meanwhile, the Lyngdoh Nonglait clan said it has full faith in the police.
The clan is confident the police will be able to unravel the truth.
Speaking at the funeral service, organised at the residence of Steffanie’s parents at Mawlai Nongpdeng, a member of the Lyngdoh Nonglait clan, Prof DRL Nonglait said the family filed the FIR against Nongbri as the woman’s body was found under mysterious circumstances.
Steffanie was laid to rest at the Presbyterian Church cemetery at Lawmlai.
Earlier, Amanda claimed there were many gaps in the statement given by the accused.
She said Nongbri had initially claimed he found his wife lying dead on the bed. Then, he changed his statement before the police, stating that she committed suicide by hanging herself and he had brought the body down with the help of his friend to eventually keep it on the bed.
According to Amanda, they were surprised to see an iron rod and a rope near the bed later as these were not there when they had gone to the house on the night Steffanie died.
“The question is who put the iron and the rope inside the house,” Amanda said.
In the FIR, she expressed suspicion that her brother-in-law murdered her sister as contusions were found on her neck. The deceased was two months pregnant.
Meanwhile, the police said they were awaiting the report of autopsy.
