R Kharmujai

Shillong, Nov 10: Meghalaya Home Minister James Sangma on Saturday promised swift action in the murderous attempt on frontline woman activist Agnes Kharshiing in coal belt area in East Jaintia Hills district.
On the other hand, concerned citizens from all walks of life, staged a protest near the additional State’s Secretariat, and demanded for an independent inquiry into the “murderous attack” on Kharshiing and her aide Amita Sangma besides on illegal mining and transportation coal mining in the state.
“I would like to assure you that the government will take swift action on this and will be bringing the guilty to justice on the matter. A case has been registered and two persons have been placed under arrest and the investigation is right now ongoing,” Sangma told journalists.
The Home Minister had to cut short his family vacation to Europe and arrived in Shillong this morning in view of the murderous attacks on Kharshiing, who is also the president of an influential Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO). He visted the injured activists at North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) .
On Thursday, Kharshiing, who is also the President of Civil Society Women's Organisation (CSWO), alongwith Sangma and Kurbah were brutally assaulted by a group of some 40 people after the activist lodged a complaint on the illegal mining and transportation of coal in the district.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered an interim ban on "rat-hole" coal mining in Meghalaya from April 17, 2014, after the All Dimasa Students' Union and the Dima Hasao District Committee filed an application before it alleging that the water of the Kopili river was turning acidic due to coal mining in the Jaintia Hills.
Asked if the government were on the same line with the demand of Bharatiya  Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) for either a CBI or judicial probe into dastardly attacks,  Sangma said, “….
The police department is equipped to handle this case. We have already nabbed two suspects.  So we are quite hopeful that things will progress and we will be able to crack this case very soon.”
Refusing to comment on the alleged nexus between coal mafia and state police that has led to the attack on the activist, Sangma said, “I don’t want to go into any kind of comment on this whether there is a nexus or not. I think this matter has to be look into it and only after the matter is being investigated and there is prove of that. As of now, I will not make any kind of statement based on speculation or anything on that.”
“But we are seriously looking into this matter (alleged nexus between coal mafia and state police ) whether in what format it comes in the form of judicial probe or magisterial inquiry and we are very serious getting into the root of it,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Citizens’ Forum which protested against the attack, demanded an independent inquiry into the “murderous attack” on Kharshiing and Amita Sangma and her aide besides on the illegal coal mining and transportation of coal in the state.
The forum, which will submit a memorandum to the state government, has asked the government to meet all medical expense of Kharshiing and Sangma.
Meanwhile, officials at the NEIGRIHMS said that Kharshiing, was still in a "critical condition and on life support" while her aide Sangma is stable.
"Kharshiing is still on ventilator. She has multiple injuries but her pulses and blood pressure are normal so far. Sangma condition is stable. She is conscious and speaking,” NEIGRIHMS Spokesperson, K.K.Pandita told said.
The attack on Kharshiing was the second such incident on a social activist in the district.
On March 19, RTI activist Poipynhun Majaw, who was the president of the Jaintia Youth Federation, was found murdered in Khliehriat, the district headquarters of East Jaintia Hills.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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