ADE alleges police iction

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, April 27: An NGO from Garo Hills region has sought the intervention of Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) on the alleged iction of the local police in the murder of a person.

The Association for Democracy and Empowerment (ADE) alleged that on February 28 this year, one Nitingson Ch. Marak of Jongkipara village was brutally murdered in an illegal stone quarry, owned by one Tapos Shah, operating in Jongkipara area under Garobada Police Outpost, in West Garo Hills district.

The decomposed body of the victim was recovered on March 7.

However, it may be mentioned that there has been no breakthrough in the case let alone any arrests made.

“It is also an interesting and noteworthy fact that the deceased have been vocal against the illegal mining and crushing of stone in the area and has filed complaints against the same in the Garobada police outpost and the district administration,” the ADE said.

The ADE alleged that despite several complaints on the presence of illegal stone quarries in the area the police are yet to act. The ADE alleged that the deceased was brutally murdered when he went to inspect the “illegal activities” of the stone miners.

In the letter to the Meghalaya DGP, the association alleged that it has strong reasons to believe that the police are going soft on the illegal stone quarry and mining and stone crusher owners as no visible action has been taken against any illegal stone quarry or stone crushing unit despite repeated complaints.

Desperately appealing to the DGP, the association alleged that it is an open secret that the illegal stone quarry and stone crusher owners have always resorted to money power to avoid any legal action against their illegal activities.

“As it is not just the insurgents that the police should concentrate on but, also all the illegal stone mining mafias who buys their way around to carry out their nefarious activities which we fear includes crimes as serious as murder,” the ADE said.