Assam-Meghalaya firing incident: Mortal remains of forest guard handed over to family

Our Correspondent

Diphu, Nov. 24 (EMN): The mortal remains of forest guard, Bidyasing Lekthe, who was killed in a mob clash at Mokroh under Jerikinding police station, West Karbi Anglong on Nov. 22, reached his home at Jaluk Lanteng in West Karbi Anglong on Thursday.

His mortal remains was handed over by the Meghalaya administration to Karbi Anglong administration on Nov. 23 at Border outpost Khanduli and will be cremated on Nov. 25.

Members and officials of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) visited the bereaved family and handed over an amount of INR 5 lakh from CEM Relief Fund to Basapi Timungpi, wife of the deceased.

Executive Member (EM) Amarsing Tisso said Lekthe will be recognised as a Karbi national hero and his statue will be constructed at Mokroh, while a school in his name will also be set-up at Mokroh. It was informed that the wife of the deceased will also be given service in KAAC.

Tisso said that Mokroh is well within West Karbi Anglong as per notified boundary by the government.

“As our CEM, Tuliram Ronghang has always said that under the notified boundary not an inch of Karbi Anglong land can be given to others and ‘Team Karbi Anglong will stand firm in protection of the boundary,” Tisso said.

APHLC suspects involvement of Bangasena

Meanwhile, the All Party Hills Leaders Conference (APHLC) in a press conference held at District Press Club of Karbi Anglong in Diphu said that the members visited the incident site at Mokroh on Nov. 23.

The APHLC said it suspected the involvement of Bangasena in the incident.

The APHLC president, JI Kathar, while criticising the Assam police for not bringing the deceased home, cautioned, “Has Assam surrendered the Umkroh area to Meghalaya?”

Kathar also mentioned about the appeal made by late Lekthe to the KAAC authority a week before the incident to increase the number of staff and proper safety at Umkroh Police Outpost.

Kathar thanked the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma for doing the formalities at the incident site.

The APHLC has welcomed the inquiry to be conducted by the NIA or CBI.

JCCPA disagrees with Meghalaya CM’s statement

Another press conference convened by the Joint Coordination Committee for Protection of Autonomy (JCCPA) said that the statement of Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma about the firing incident as “unprovoked” cannot be agreed upon.

The Convenor of the JCCPA, Khorsing Teron said, “We cannot agree with the statement of CM, Conrad Sangma that the firing was unprovoked. It is inappropriate to downplay the rampant timber smuggling to Meghalaya. Likewise, we also cannot agree with the statement of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma that the firing ‘seemed unprovoked.’ The attack upon the on-duty police and forest protection personnel itself proves that the police and forest protection personnel acted under provocation.”

‘On the wee hours of Nov. 22, a Forest team of Protection Range on duty intercepted a truck illegally transporting logs to Meghalaya and arrested three illegal loggers involved. As reported in the media the Forest protection and police personnel went to the spot to confiscate the logs and the truck. The police and Forest personnel on duty were attacked by a group of people armed with lethal weapons; and in self defence, the police and Forest personnel were compelled to resort to firing,’ Teron said and demanded that an investigation into the mob clash and firing be conducted by the Central agency.

It also demanded all persons involved in ‘instigating the public to attack the on duty police and Forest personnel to be booked’.

It further appreciated the prompt action taken by CM Sarma and also requested him to take the suspension orders of OC, Zirikindeng and Forest Protection Officer into consideration.