Rights group demands CBI probe into Meghalaya militant's encounter

New Delhi based rights group, Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) has demanded a CBI probe into the recent killing of Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, a former leader of the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), during a police raid at his home in Shillong.

New Delhi: New Delhi based rights group, Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) on Monday demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the recent killing of Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, a former leader of the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), during a police raid at his home in Shillong on August 13, 2021.

Meghalaya Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui resigned on Sunday stating that "the police exceeded the lawful tenets of the law."

“While the RRAG welcomes the resignation of the Home Minister Rymbui, given the nature of the encounter, only an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation can find out the truth,” said Director of RRAG, Suhas Chakma.

Chakma further stated, “The standard procedure for a thorough, effective and independent investigation on police encounter deaths laid down by the Supreme Court on 23.09.2014 including the police officer(s) concerned surrendering weapons for forensic and ballistic analysis, including any other material, as required by the investigating team must be followed.”

He said that Meghalaya ranked 7th in the country on police encounter deaths during 2014-2015 to 2018-2019 when 1,073 persons were killed.

"As per the NHRC data, the highest number of encounter deaths during this period took place in Chhattisgarh (248 death), followed by Assam (191 deaths), Uttar Pradesh (124 deaths), Jharkhand (75), Andhra Pradesh (71 deaths), Odisha (69 deaths), Meghalaya (56 deaths), Maharashtra (44 deaths), Haryana (28 deaths) and Madhya Pradesh (21 deaths)," Chakma said.

“That Meghalaya, a State with a population of 30 lakhs as per 2011 census, ranked 7th in the country on police encounter deaths during 2014-2015 to 2018-2019 is a matter of grave concern and exposes the trigger happy nature of the State police,” Chakma said.