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.
Curfew imposed due to unrest
Curfew was imposed in Shillong and mobile internet stopped in at least four districts of Meghalaya on Sunday amid vandalism and arson over the police encounter of a top militant leader, who had surrendered, officials said.
The curfew was imposed in Shillong from 8 pm on Sunday till 5 am on Tuesday, they said.
Mobile internet was stopped for 48 hours, beginning at 6 pm, in East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts, they said.
Stray incidents of vandalism and arson were reported, having the potential to disturb public peace and tranquility and cause a threat to public safety, Home Secretary CVD Diengdoh said, quoting reports from the police headquarters.
Violence was reported from these areas as Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, a militant who had surrendered, was laid to rest at a cemetery in Shillong after being killed by police in an encounter at his home on August 13.
Thangkhiew was suspected to be the mastermind of a spate of IED attacks since his surrender in 2018, police said.
Director-General of Police R Chandranathan said there was ample evidence against Thangkhiew when he sent his team to arrest the “retired” general-secretary of the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).
Thangkhiew allegedly attacked the police with a knife when his home was being raided, provoking a retaliatory shot in which he was killed, Chandranathan had said.
Hundreds of his supporters carried black flags as his body was taken to the cemetery.
Government vehicles were vandalised and a police vehicle was set on fire at Jaiaw area of Shillong allegedly by his supporters, police said.
Banning mobile internet, the chief secretary said, “Messaging systems like SMS, Whatsapp and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube are likely to be used for transmission of pictures, videos and text and have the potential to cause serious breakdown of law and order.”
The curfew was imposed in Shillong through an order issued by East Khasi Hills district administrator Isawanda Laloo.
The Meghalaya Human Right Commission has also taken suo moto cognisance of the encounter, noting, “The instant case appears to have resulted in gross human rights violation which according to Article 21 of the Constitution mandates for protection of life and personal liberty for every person within the territory of India.”
The commission has directed the chief secretary to submit a detailed report on the incident within 15 days, failing which the commission has said it will conduct its own investigation into the matter.
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