By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Three years after the police firing at Langpih which claimed the lives of four villagers and injured 12 others, the Assam Government is yet to take any action against the erring police personnel. Adding to the agony is the fact that the widows of the deceased are still waiting for adequate compensation.
It was on May 14, 2010 that four Khasi villagers were killed and 12 injured when the Assam police personnel fired at them at Langpih.
The Justice (retd) PC Phukan Inquiry Commission in its report had indicted Platoon Commander of Assam Police, Prem Singh Limbu for ordering excessive and unjustified firing without a warning which resulted in the violent incident.
Limbu was a Sub-Inspector from the Armed Branch of Assam Police and the Platoon Commander of No.26 Platoon of 4th Assam Police Battalion.
As per the Commission, “in obedience to his order, seventeen Assam Police Battalion personnel opened fire as they were duty bound to do so since they were trained to obey without question.”
“All of them deposed before the Commission. With one voice and with complete unanimity they said that it was their Platoon Commander, who ordered them to open fire, and that before ordering effective fire, he did not warn the mob that the police personnel would open effective fire at them,” the Commission observed.
As per the orders of the Platoon Commander, the police personnel fired as many as 188 rounds for at least ten minutes. Firing at such scale and for such duration was excessive and unjustified in the prevailing circumstances, the Commission had said.
Meanwhile, after the widows of four deceased villagers filed a petition for adequate compensation to them and also to direct Assam Government to punish the erring police personnel, the case is still pending with the High Court of Meghalaya.
The lawyer dealing with the case said that matter was listed recently and the case will come up for hearing shortly.
“The petition states that the Government should adequately compensate the widows and necessary action be taken against those involved in firing”, the lawyer said.
The Meghalaya Government had paid Rs 3 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased, Charles Lyngkhoi, Denis Nongsiej, Ekros Rani and Columbos Hoojon and this was acknowledged by the Commission.
The Assam Government had also sanctioned the same ex-gratia amount of money to the relatives of the deceased, but the amount is yet to be paid.
Meghalaya Government also paid ex-gratia ranging from Rs 5,000 to 25,000 to eight injured persons – Everles K.Syiemlieh, Haiian Wahlang, Losping Nongphud, Pranding Snaitang, Strickbor Snar, Brimtarius Marthong ,Kolestar Jyrwa and Budsharsing Lyngkhoi.
The Commission had recommended that Assam Government should also pay equal amount to the injured persons as done by its counterpart in Meghalaya.
