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Tag: Cheristerfield Thangkhiew

  • Meghalaya ‘fake’ encounter case: Shillong groups fire knife salvo at Conrad Sangma govt

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: Civil society groups in Meghalaya capital Shillong on Monday literally resorted to cutting sarcasm against the state government with a “knife” protest.

    Eleven organisations came together under the banner of “Ka Sur Ki Nong Mawlai” and staged the “rally pyndem tari” (knife surrender rally) against the Conrad K Sangma government’s failure to suspend some senior police officials responsible for the killing of former insurgent leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew in an alleged fake encounter on August 13.

    The protestors moved around with knives in a Shillong locality and “surrendered” them later. The knives surrendered were symbolic of the one the police claimed Thangkhiew had used in trying to attack them. By this action, they wanted to call the alleged bluff of the police.

    After Thangkhiew’s killing at his residence, the police had explained that he was shot dead in self-defence as he pulled out a knife and attempted to attack the personnel.

    The civil society groups have been since demanding the suspension of the police officials, including two Superintendents of Police, but the government tried to assuage the public feelings by ordering a probe.

    The residents and the members of the civil society groups had gathered at the Mawlai petrol pump prior to taking out the peaceful rally which culminated at the Mawlai bus stand.

    The protestors reiterated the demand for the suspension of the police officers. A team of police personnel, drawn from two districts, had carried out the operation at Thangkhiew’s residence that day.

    The authorities of East Khasi Hills district, of which Shillong is the headquarters, had earlier served show-cause notices on six leaders of the umbrella body for violating COVID-19 protocols by holding public gatherings.

    On the day of Thangkhiew’s funeral, parts of Shillong witnessed sporadic incidents of violence during which mobs of protestors torched and damaged a number of vehicles.

  • Meghalaya ex-militant death: Curfew lifted in Shillong for 12 hours on Thursday

    By PTI

    SHILLONG: Curfew, which was clamped here following unrest, was lifted for 12 hours from 5 am on Thursday as the law and order situation improved in the last 24 hours, an official said. The restriction, however, will be in place at night, he said.

    East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner I Laloo has issued an order, relaxing the curfew in Shillong urban agglomeration for 12 hours till 5 pm on August 19, the official said. Shops involved in selling essential items have been allowed to open till 4 pm and transactions at banks permitted till 3 pm.

    State and central government offices, private establishments and post offices have been allowed to operate till 4 pm with a 30 per cent workforce, according to the order. The district administration had on Wednesday lifted the curfew in the state capital for 11 hours till 4 pm.

    Mobile internet services were also withdrawn since the evening of August 15 in at least four districts after vandalism and arson rocked the state capital and nearby areas on Independence Day during the funeral procession of a former militant, who was killed in a recent police encounter.

    The mobile data services were restored on Wednesday night, the official said.

    Violence erupted in Mawlai and Jaiaw areas of Shillong following the death of Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, the former self-styled general secretary of the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), in an encounter when the police raided his home in the early hours of August 13.

    Thangkhiew, who had surrendered in 2018, was shot dead when he allegedly tried to attack a police team with a knife during the raid in connection with a series of IED blasts in the state. Unidentified miscreants hurled petrol bombs at the private residence of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma late on Sunday.

    A vehicle carrying CRPF personnel was attacked by protesters in Mawlai area here during the curfew hours. Meghalaya Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui had resigned on Sunday amid violence in the city over the police shooting of the former militant.

    Sangma had on Monday announced a judicial investigation into the death of 54-year-old Thangkhiew and Meghalaya Human Rights Commission chairperson Justice T Vaiphei will conduct the probe. A group of people from Mawlai had met Sangma and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday and demanded suspension of police officers involved in the encounter.

  • Day after violence, Meghalaya govt orders judicial probe into ex-insurgent leader’s killing

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: Given the tense situation in Shillong, the Meghalaya government on Monday ordered a judicial probe into the killing of former insurgent leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew by the police.

    The decision was made at a Cabinet meeting and it came a day after mobs of people virtually held Shillong to ransom protesting the killing. The protestors had torched a police vehicle, damaged several others, and snatched weapons from the cops.

    An official statement said the Cabinet decided to constitute a judicial inquiry to look into the events that took place in the morning hours of August 13 when Thangkhiew, the former general secretary of insurgent group Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council, was killed at his house by a joint team of the police of two districts.

    The government decided to set up a peace committee, to be headed by Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong. Ministers Hamlet Dohling and Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar will be its members. The committee will co-opt other members from the civil society including religious organisations and other stakeholders.

    ALSO READ | Mob violence grips Meghalaya capital, Home Minister resigns

    The government also decided to constitute a sub-committee for security and law and order, which will be headed by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Tynsong, and Home Minister. It will look into different aspects of the law and order situation.

    The Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui had tendered his resignation to the CM on Sunday but it is yet to be accepted.

    Curfew, clamped in Shillong on Sunday evening, continued while mobile internet/data services remained suspended in four districts, including East Khasi Hills of which Shillong is the headquarters.

    Meanwhile, three police personnel were suspended. Their vehicle and weapons were snatched during Sunday’s violence by a group of unidentified people that later torched the vehicle. Efforts were being made by the police to identify the people and recover the weapons.

    BJP leader and former minister AL Hek demanded the resignation of the state’s police chief R Chandranathan. Chandranathan had said earlier that the cops had to open fire at the slain former insurgent leader in self-defence after the latter had pulled out a knife and tried to attack the personnel.

    The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission has directed the state’s chief secretary to submit a detailed report within 15 days for further necessary orders. It said if the report was found not satisfactory, it would conduct its own investigation. 

  • Meghalaya announces judicial probe into encounter death of ex-militant leader

    By PTI

    SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday announced a judicial investigation into the recent encounter killing of a former militant leader whose supporters committed vandalism and arson on Independence Day, forcing the administration to clamp curfew in state capital Shillong.

    The government will set up a peace committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong comprising representatives of civil society organisations and others as members, Sangma said after an emergent cabinet meeting.

    The government also decided to extend curfew in Shillong by another 24 hours till 5 am of August 18.

    Mobile internet services will also remain withdrawn for the next 24 hours, he said.

    “Based on the suggestion of the members, the cabinet has decided to institute a judicial inquiry under the Commission of Inquiry Act to look into the events that took place on August 13,” Sangma said.

    The chief minister, however, did not name the judge who will probe the August 13 encounter death.

    ALSO READ: CRPF vehicle attacked in Meghalaya capital amid curfew

    The deputy CM headed peace committee will also have cabinet ministers H Dohling and R Tongkhar.

    “The Committee will co-opt members from civil societies, religious organisations, community heads, etc,” Sangma said. “There will also be a Sub-Committee for Security & Law & Order headed by the Chief Minister, Sh. @SangmaConrad with Deputy CM & Home Minister as members to look into aspects of law & order, possible future threats & overall functioning of @MeghalayaPolice,” he tweeted.

    Although Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui has put down his papers on Sunday amid violence in Shillong, the chief minister is learnt to have not accepted his resignation.

    The Union Home Ministry has sanctioned five additional companies of central armed paramilitary forces to assist the state government in containing the law and order situation, Sangma said.

    Following the death of Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, the former self-styled general secretary of the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), in an encounter when the police raided his home in the wee hours on Friday, violence erupted in Mawlai and Jaiaw areas of the state capital.

    Thangkhiew, who had surrendered before the police in 2018, was allegedly involved in the recent IED blasts of which the latest took place on August 10 injuring two persons including a woman.

    Arson and vandalism were reported from the affected areas on Independence Day.

    Unidentified miscreants hurled petrol bombs at the private residence of the chief minister on Sunday night but no one was injured.

    He was at his official Polo Hills residence at that time.

    A few hours later, a CRPF vehicle proceeding to control the situation came under attack by a mob.

    Two police vehicles were also torched at Jaiaw and Mawalai areas.

  • Mob violence grips Meghalaya capital, Home Minister resigns

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI:  Meghalaya Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Sunday tendered his resignation to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, after violence broke out in the state capital over the killing of a former insurgent leader. 

    A curfew was imposed in Shillong on Sunday as a violent mob protesting the killing of former insurgent leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew by the police, vandalised several vehicles in the city. Internet services were suspended for 48 hours in four districts of the state “I hereby express shock over the incident where Cheristerfield Thangkhiew was killed following the raid by the police at his residence exceeding the lawful tenets of the law,” Rymbui said.  

    “Considering the gravity of the situation, I would like to request you to relieve the Home department portfolio from me with immediate effect…” An official statement on Sunday’s violent incidents said there have been serious breakdown of law and order in the state. “There have been incidents of stone-pelting, arson and theft, and a serious breakdown of law and order in parts of Shillong.

    There is likelihood of a further breach of peace, which may spread to other parts of the city and district. I, Isawanda Laloo, District Magistrate, East Khasi Hills District do hereby promulgate TOTAL CURFEW from 8.00 PM of 15th August 2021 in Shillong Agglomeration,” an official statement reads.

    The state’s Home Department, in a notification, said mobile internet/data services had been suspended in East Khasi Hills, of which Shillong is the headquarters; West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts. 

    Meanwhile, some unidentified persons threw two petrol bombs near the private residence of CM Sangma on Sunday evening. Sangma, however, stays at the CM’s official bungalow at Polo. 

    Trouble was brewing in Shillong since Saturday evening when miscreants attacked a police vehicle. The slain former rebel leader was laid to rest around 1 pm on Sunday. Protestors got hold of a police vehicle and moved around brandishing the weapons they snatched from the police. They also attacked and vandalised a number of vehicles. 

  • Meghalaya home minister resigns amid violence over police shooting of former militant

    By PTI

    SHILLONG: Meghalaya Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui resigned on Sunday amid violence in Shillong over the police shooting of a former militant.

    Rymbui also urged Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to institute a judicial inquiry into the shooting of Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, the self-styled general secretary of the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council who had surrendered.

    “I hereby express shock to the incident where (L) Chesterfield Thangkhiew was killed following the raid of police at his residence exceeding the lawful tenets of the law,” he stated in his letter to the chief minister.

    “I would like to request you to relieve the Home (Police) Department from me with immediate effect. This will facilitate free and fair inquiry taken by the government to bring out the truth of the incident. I propose judicial inquiry be conducted,” he added.

    Rymbui told PTI that his United Democratic Party also backed the decision to step down.

    “I have put forth my papers, after due consultation with my party leadership, to allow a free and fair probe into the killing of Thangkhiew,” he said.

    UDP, an ally of the Sangma’s NPP in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, also urged for a judicial probe into the incident, which resulted in violent protests, Rymbui said.

    A source close to the chief minister said the government accepted the resignation as the home minister was unaware of the incident.

    The Meghalaya government has imposed a curfew in Shillong and banned mobile internet services in at least four districts as vandalism and arson rocked the state capital and nearby areas on Independence Day.

    Thangkhiew, who had surrendered in 2018, was shot dead on August 13 when he allegedly tried to attack a police team with a knife during a raid at his house in connection with a series of IED blasts in the state.

    Police said they have evidence that Thangkhiew masterminded the blasts after his surrender.