Floral tributes paid to ex-HNLC leader Cheristerfield on his 3rd death anniv
SHILLONG, Aug 13: HNYF president Sadon K Blah on Tuesday alleged that the Meghalaya government is resorting to “state-sponsored terrorism”.
To buttress his charge, he cited former HNLC general secretary Cheristerfield Thangkhiew’s killing by the police on this day in 2021.
Addressing a gathering after paying floral tributes to Thangkhiew at his graveyard in Lawmali on his third death anniversary, Blah lamented that the Bri Hynniewtrep and the family of the former HNLC leader had to experience this “state-sponsored terror”.
“The act of the police to carry out the operation during the late hours in the night and especially to fire bullets to kill the former HNLC leader who was not in good health is not acceptable at all,” the HNYF president said.
Thangkhiew’s younger brother Granary Starfield Thangkhiew said the killing was an act of revenge by the police as they could not nab him when he was a member of the HNLC.
Granary questioned the state government’s decision to promote an erring policeman who had “admitted” before the chairperson of the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission, Justice (retd) T Vaiphei that he was the one who had fired at Thangkhiew with his AK-47 rifle.
“The same police personnel, who was only a head constable, has now been promoted to the position of sub-inspector. He is currently the second in-charge of a police outpost in Jaintia Hills,” Granary said.
He asked why the state government promoted the cop instead of arresting him. This policy of the government will encourage police personnel to do illegal things for promotion, Granary said.
He said the “felicitation” of the cop by the government proves it directed the police to kill his brother.
Meanwhile, he said the next hearing on the case filed in the High Court of Meghalaya will be held on August 19.
“During the last hearing, the judge had stated that it would be the last hearing. We also hope that it will be the last hearing,” Granary added. The members of the Mawlai units of KSU, FKJGP and HNYF accompanied Thangkhiew’s family members to his graveyard as they all paid floral tributes.
Earlier, the Mawlai units of these pressure groups had observed “Black Flag Day” to mark the third death anniversary of the former HNLC general secretary who was shot dead by the police in an alleged fake encounter at his residence in Kynton Massar locality in 2021.
The observation of the “Black Flag Day” was held at Mawlai Petrol Pump and Mawlai Stand Bus. The members of the pressure groups raised black flags and distributed black flags to passing vehicles, asking the occupants to hoist the flags to observe the day.
KSU Mawlai Circle president Biangbor Paliar lamented that no action has been initiated against the guilty police personnel. He pointed out that Justice Vaiphei had in his report mentioned the use of “excessive force” by the police.
Paliar said they will not allow the police personnel responsible for Thangkhiew’s killing to go scot-free.