Newmai News Network Shillong | November 26 East Shillong legislator Ampareen Lyngdoh who chairs the State Assembly’s Committee on Women Empowerment (CWE) has demanded an independent inquiry into the recent assault of two women activists, CSWO president, Agnes Kharshiing and her aide Amita Sangma while noting with concern, the slow progress of the present inquiry. “The state government should take our suggestion to constitute an Independent inquiry which should be away from the district officials,” Ampareen had said after a meeting of the CWE here on Monday. Ampareen also said that there are a lot of ‘missing links’ in the present investigation while claiming that a lot of details have not been made available to the committee. It may be noted here that Agnes and Amita Sangma were critically injured after they were attacked by more than 30-40 people suspected to be coal mafias at Sohshrieh village on November 8, just after taking pictures of coal laden trucks. Ampareen also informed that the Committee has objected to the institution of an enquiry at the level of an Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) to probe the murder attempt on the two women activists. It may be mentioned here, that the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of East Jaintia Hills (EJH) district, FM Dopth had recently ordered an enquiry by the ADC SS Syiemlieh who was given 15 days time to submit his report into the matter. “This is in itself is concerning us because we believe that life threatening threat against two prominent women in the state of Meghalaya only takes the attention of a committee headed by the ADC,” Lyngdoh said. “It is unfortunate that despite being a state which respects women but women are given least importance as even the SP of the district made a comment saying that there is shortage of manpower to be engaged on a manhunt and conducting enquiry on this,” Ampareen added. Highlighting the observations made by the CWE, Ampareen said there has been very little progress in the investigation from the day of the incident till date. Stating that the arrests made do not substantiate the seriousness of this crime in a matrilineal state, she said only six arrests were made so far while informing that as per the understanding of the CWE, not all of them remain in police custody. “We are told by the DC and SP that the main accused persons suspected by the police remained to be at large and not to be found, not to be apprehended and not to be traced. This is a very serious lapse. Our committee strongly objects to this very casual approach that has been adopted by the district administration on such a serious crime,” Lyngdoh added. Observing that there seems to be a lot of lapses on the enquiry conducted by the district administration, she said the CWE told the DC that it is impossible to believe that key officials who were present in the district prior to the assault on the two women have not been interrogated and inquired upon. Slamming the district administration for suggesting a compensation of only Rs 12,700 per victim, Lyngdoh said that it took a Court order to instruct the government to release Rs 5 lakh to each victim which is still pending. Meanwhile, the chairperson informed that the CWE will submit its preliminary report on the incident to appraise the Speaker and all members of the House on the lapses observed by the Committee. “We need to solicit everybody’s support in the 60-member House so that we get a consensus from the well of the House as to what we need to do to send a strong message to criminals who want to not only disturb peace if the state but attack women in such a cowardly act otherwise will not get justice to the injustice done to these two women,” she said. On the other hand, CWE member and Mawsynram MLA HM Shangpliang said that Investigation Officer had informed the Committee that Agnes and Amita had met one ASI Comfort Lamare and Sangma, who is a sentry, at Ladrymbai police outpost. He however said that the IO had informed that nothing was discussed during this meeting and that the two women were simply offered tea at the outpost. Shangpliang further informed that the Committee had also questioned why the sentry should go on leave at this juncture when the investigation into the matter is still going on. “There is a lot of missing links in this whole episode,” he added.
