Shillong, Sept 21: NPP MLA from Sohra, Gavin Miquel Mylliem in the Assembly on Thursday has sought intervention of the State Government to provide financial assistance to the family of the truck driver, late Roning Nongkynrih of Jalynteng village who was allegedly shot dead by the BSF personnel along the Shillong-Dawki road on May 6 this year.
“My concern is that the family of the late truck driver is unfortunately not getting the human consideration, which it should be getting. The deceased has a family of his wife and two young children and they also belong to an extremely poor family and there is no other bread earner for the family,” Mylliem said while raising this issue by moving a zero hours during the ongoing autumn session.
He further said that he was very pained to see the circumstances in which the family is now surviving since there is no relief from the BSF even after four months of the incident.
“Neither the BSF nor the government of India has sanctioned any kind of relief to the family. I would therefore strongly urge the state government to kindly take up this matter in the strongest possible manner with the Government of India. So that justice is done within a fixed time, maybe a month or two,” he said.
In view of the unusual circumstances of the case, the Sohra NPP MLA said he would strongly request that the state government to even consider sanctioning expenditure assistance from its side.
“I also hope that the central government would act in this case in view of the circumstances. But I would like to urge for a compassionate, passionate view or sympathetic view, to be taken by the government. So that justice is done to this poor family, which deserves all the help that it can get,” Mylliem said.
In his reply, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong informed that the police have registered a criminal case on the basis of the FIR filed by the relative of the deceased, Ribalskhem Nongkynrih.
“The matter is under investigation. But no arrest has been made in connection with this instant case,” Tynsong informed.
As per the report filed by the complainant, it was stated that the complainant and his cousin brother (the deceased truck driver) were proceeding from Umthli village to transport buffaloes to their owner’s shed.
“On reaching Mawshun, the deceased person took a right turn in order to unload the buffaloes. During that time, a mini truck of BSF was also following them from behind and suddenly without any warning the BSF personnel rushed towards the complainant and the victim and started firing as result of which the victim collapsed,” Deputy Chief Minister informed.
Meanwhile, he informed that the BSF also filed a counter FIR against the deceased truck driver by claiming that on the night of May 5 this year a mobile check post of G company 4th battalion was deployed at Wahkdait, Pynursla-Dawki road.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that as per the counter FIR, the BSF personnel who are manning the check post had cautioned the driver to stop for checking.
It is further stated that the late truck driver instead of stopping he tried to escape by hitting and tried to run over the BSF personnel on duty.
He said that the BSF personnel on duty sensing danger had fired two rounds in the air at an interval but the driver did not stop and tried to hit the personnel on duty.
“Seeing imminent threat to his life, the BSF personnel again fired towards the tyres with an intention to stop the vehicle but the driver turned his vehicle towards left and collided with the divider,” Tynsong said while quoting the counter of the BSF.
He further informed that they have also registered cases as per the counter FIR filed by the BSF officials and investigation is in progress.
“At present, the investigation of both the cases is on and the police officials are putting in sincere efforts to ascertain the facts and circumstances of both the cases,” Tynsong added.
IANS