SHILLONG, Aug 12: The family members of former HNLC leader late Cheristerfield Thangkhiew still await justice — two years after his death.
It may be recalled that Cheristerfield Thangkhiew was killed in a police ‘encounter’ on August 13 of 2021.
On his second death anniversary on Sunday, the family members will pay tribute to him by laying wreaths on his tombstone at the cemetery of the Church of God, Lawmali.
The family has urged members of the pressure groups and well-wishers to join them at the cemetery at 2 pm.
Speaking to a section of the press, younger brother of Chesterfield, Granary Starfield Thangkhiew exuded resolve as he said that the family will continue to fight for justice.
Granary said that they had to approach the High Court for a CBI probe since they know that the state government would not comply with their demand.
“We had written to the Chief Secretary demanding a CBI probe into the death of Cheristerfield. But there was no response from the government,” Thangkhiew said.
According to him, the family members wanted a CBI probe because they wished to learn who had issued the order to allegedly kill his brother.
On the other hand, Granary said that the family was happy with the findings of the one-man inquiry commission headed by Justice (retd) T Vaiphei. “But sadly the government has not acted on the recommendations of the inquiry commission,” he said.
He pointed out that the report of the probe commission had said that “the police operation to arrest his brother was culpable of thoughtless and excessive use of force”. “We have been patient but it appears that the government is trying to delay just to protect the erring police officials. We have seen that there is an attempt by the government to move away from this issue,” Granary said.
He claimed that he knows the names of the police officials responsible for the killing.
It may be recalled that the inquiry report had said that Thangkhiew was killed in a “reckless operation using excessive force” by police.
Thangkhiew was shot dead on August 13, 2021, during a police raid on his house at Mawlai Kynton Massar locality in the state capital.
The police had claimed that the former militant was shot in self-defence when he tried to stab them. Thangkhiew’s death had led to widespread violence with a mob setting vehicles afire and brandishing firearms snatched from the police.
When asked that the police claim that they have CCTV evidence to prove that his late brother was behind the bomb blast, Thangkhiew rejected the claims of the police.
“The bomb blast at the NPP office and Khyndai Lad had happened after the death of his brother. If the police can make it public on the CCTV evidence to prove my late brother’s involvement then I am ready to withdraw the case which I had filed in the High Court,” he stated.
Granary, however, welcomed the government-HNLC peace talks but cautioned the HNLC members against believing in anything and everything so that they may avoid a fate similar to that of his brother. Thangkhiew was very much involved in having the outfit hold peace parleys, he said.
