Govt, witnesses found wanting

SHILLONG, Aug 9: Meghalaya government has failed to produce witnesses and documents at the Assam’s inquiry commission probing the Mukroh violence that left six people dead in November last year, officials said here on Wednesday.
The one-person commission headed by Justice Rumi Kumari Phukan (retd) has closed its proceedings after no one turned up before the commission during its sitting at the Assam House here, they said.
“With deep concern, the commission has closed the proceeding (hearing) in Meghalaya and has returned to Guwahati. No one turned up for the hearing and even the government officials did not depose before it,” an official told PTI.
He said the commission had come here to ensure that those with documents and evidence on the violence could depose before it.
The state government was also notified and the commission had requested its cooperation to produce all the relevant witnesses.
West Khasi Jaintia Hills district deputy commissioner was also directed to serve notice to the witnesses to appear before the commission but there was no information on whether the orders were complied with, he said.
Six people – five from Mukroh and a forest guard from Assam – were killed in a clash that broke out along the disputed border on November 22 last year after a truck with “illegally felled timber” was allegedly intercepted by the forest personnel from the neighbouring state.
Mukroh village is one of the many villages that fall in the six disputed areas claimed by both the neighbouring states.
Assam and Meghalaya had in March last year signed a MoU in Delhi to formally resolve interstate disputes in the six areas of differences between the two states.
Talks are on for the remaining six areas of differences which include Langpih in West Khasi Hills district and Mukroh. (PTI)