By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 9: VPP MLA from Mawryngkneng, Heaving Stone Kharpran, on Tuesday demanded a proper and fair inquiry into the mysterious death of Ribok Dkhar Sawian (34), a Civil Defence and Home Guards personnel from Meghalaya, who was found dead during training in Guwahati on April 9.
Raising a call attention motion in the Assembly, Kharpran said the government must order an immediate inquiry and ensure a high-priority investigation by a specialised team. “I demand justice in the matter and appeal to the government to take serious action and put a better system in place,” he said.
He pointed out that while initial reports suggested a heart attack, the exact cause of death remains unconfirmed. He added that the deceased’s wife had recently reached out to him seeking clarity on the postmortem report and alleging that no assistance had been extended to the family so far.
The MLA stressed the need for mandatory health check-ups and better safety measures before sending personnel for training outside the state. He also called for proper access to emergency medical care and timely sharing of information with the families of personnel. “This incident has caused immense distress to the family and the entire village community,” Kharpran said, urging the government to ensure such tragedies do not recur.
Responding to the motion, Civil Defence and Home Guards Minister Comingone Ymbon assured that necessary steps will be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. He informed the House that the District Training Centre, Home Guards, East Khasi Hills, had already written to the North Guwahati police on August 22 seeking clearance to obtain the final postmortem report from AIIMS Guwahati. However, the report has not been completed to date.
Ymbon said the department had released a relief amount of ₹1.49 lakh to the deceased’s wife on July 8. However, the NPS contribution could not be processed as Sawian had nominated his minor daughter. The family has been asked to submit the necessary documents to the Treasury so the process can move forward.
Sawian, a resident of Mawryngkneng, was posted at the Disaster Training Centre of Home Guards, East Khasi Hills, and had nearly completed five years of service. He was undergoing disaster management training at the NDRF’s Changsari camp in Guwahati when he went missing on April 9. His colleagues later found his clothes near a bathing point inside the camp.
The police have registered a case of unnatural death.