SHILLONG: Mystery surrounds the death of police personnel Joseph Lalthlanmua from MLP 2nd Battalion who was found dead while guarding the strong room of the EVMs kept at Ampati, hours before counting of votes of the GHADC polls.
While the counting was to start at 8 am on October 15, the constable was found dead with bullet wounds at 3.20 am.
Police claimed that Joseph reportedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service weapon, which however, remains a mystery as he was not the only person guarding the strong room.
There is another version coming from the police that Joseph had committed suicide inside the Battalion Barrack at DC Office Complex, Ampati.
The incident has raised more questions than answers and the police are yet to come out with any official statement regarding the matter.
After the mysterious death of P.J. Marbaniang, who was found dead with bullet injuries a day after he detained 32 trucks in Ri Bhoi, the case of Joseph has further raised curiosity.
A Home department official, who was monitoring the polls, said he was also perplexed over the suicide angle at a time when the complex of the office of the Deputy Commissioner where EVMs were stored were well guarded with a strong security cover.
Sources pointed out that the CCTV footage outside the strong room where the battalion constable was keeping a close watch will provide clues to his death.
Tura DSP M. Kundu has been entrusted with the task of probing the matter.
