Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy takes stock of Kharshiing health

A Reporter

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy, along with his wife, on Saturday visited NEIGRIHMS hospital to inquire about the present health condition of both Agnes Kharshiing and Amita Sangma who were brutally assaulted by a crowd of around 30 people at East Jaintia Hills.

According to the elder brother of Kharshiing who accompanied the Governor to visit Sangma, he informed that for the first time in an interaction with the Governor and his wife Sangma broke down in tears.

Speaking to reporters, after visiting the victims, the governor said, “The way Kharshiing and Sangma was beaten up it’s a dastardly attack and I hope the police apprehend all the culprits and both the victims are very courageous ladies and me, along with my wife, will pray for her and for Sangma to get a speedy recovery.”

Asked on the growing demand for an independent inquiry into the incident and whether he will write to the Central Government on the current development in the state, the governor said, “I will talk to the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in the coming days about these things. However, I cannot make any public statements.”

“I have learned that two people have been arrested in connection to this case and this is good news and by interrogating them I’m sure the pole will be able to attain more leads into the case,” he said.

When asked, he said, “The condition of Sangma is better and what I can understand from the doctors is that she is completely stable now. Kharshiing is stable but still in a delicate state.”

He also pointed out that the family members of both the victims took a correct decision of taking them to NEIGRIHMS, Shillong rather than taking them to Guwahati because this would have cost a lot of time for immediate treatment.

“What I can understand is that the livelihood of many people is at stake. However, no one can take the law in his or her hands and this attack on both Kharshiing and Sangma is a different matter from the ban on coal mining. The matter should be handled as a law-and-order problem and necessary action must be taken by the police,” he said.

He also said that this attack indicates that there is a vested interest by those people who came and attacked both Kharshiing and Sangma.

“These people are criminals and the police should take adequate action,” he said.

When asked, he said that law-and-order is a state subject so first it should be probed by the State Government and only when there are circumstances which indicate that the State Government is failing in its duty then the question of CBI inquiry can come.

When asked, as the head of the state if he will appraise this matter concerning mining and the recent incident of attack with the central government, the Governor said, “I will do whatever is necessary and I will take whatever action I have to take.”

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