Meghalaya: Protests after Vaiphei report faults state in HNLC leader’s ‘encounter’
Shillong: Protests After Vaiphei broke out in Shillong soon after the inquiry report of Justice Waifee into the encounter death of former HNLC General Secretary Cherchesterfield Thangkhew was tabled on the floor of the House on the first day of the autumn session on Friday.
A one-member commission of inquiry into the operation by the Meghalaya police at Cherishterfield Thangkhiew’s house on the morning of August 13 last year (L) has revealed that although the raid was the result of a well-planned raid, it was flawed, careless, hasty and Performed without proper use of mind.
Soon after the report was tabled in the House on Friday, Sur Ka Bri U Hynñiewtrep (Voice of the Hyniewtrep People) started their protest at the Harrison Bridge Railbong demanding justice.
The death of a former HNLC leader in an encounter last August had led to widespread protests and disruptions, after which the Meghalaya government decided to set up an inquiry.
In his report, Justice Wifi said in recommendations that it was a “vague operation”, which failed in its objective of capturing the former militant leader alive, who could have provided the police with valuable information about the subversive activities of the banned HNLC.
The commission’s report said, “In my opinion, after entering the tiger’s den in the dark without proper planning and without proper precautions, State Witness No. 4 took a totally avoidable and unnecessary risk.” risking his own life and that of the dead, which the team claimed was not his intention to kill him in the first place.
The commission also found that the forced entry into the house of the deceased in the dark and the subsequent killing of the deceased amounted to an “exercise of negligence and disproportionate use of force”, resulting in the death of the deceased.
The report further states that the police surrounded the house of the deceased if they waited for daylight for about 2 hours (as they actually did). (What here) meanwhile and threw tear gas grenades into the occupied rooms. By the deceased and his family, they could be forced to come out. The victim could easily be caught through this house. In this way, the safety of other innocent members of the deceased’s family can also be ensured.
“In my view, the post facto excuse that no one was hurt except the deceased cannot be a reasonable justification for the hasty and careless operation by Tactical Team-I,” the report said.
