Meghalaya for probe into attack on RTI activist

The Hindu: Meghalaya: Tuesday, November 27, 2018.

The Meghalaya Assembly Committee on Women Empowerment on Monday recommended institution of an independent inquiry into the November 8 attack on RTI activist Agnes Kharshiing and her aide Amita Sangma in East Jaintia Hills district.

The committee, headed by Opposition Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh, will also submit a preliminary report to the Speaker Donkupar Roy at the special session on Tuesday.

“It (the government) is hereby recommended that an independent inquiry be instituted to probe the matter. The recommendation was made as the investigation is very slow,” Ms. Ampareen said.

She added, “There are too many missing links... too many details that were not made available to the committee.”

According to Ms. Ampareen, the institution of an enquiry at the level of an Additional Deputy Commissioner is “not justified”.

East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner F.M. Dopth had last week ordered an enquiry to be conducted by ADC S.S. Syiemlieh and directed him to report within 15 days.

“This in itself is concerning us because we believe that the life threat against two prominent women in the State only takes the attention of a committee headed by the ADC,” she said.

The CWE also recommended that ₹5 lakh be released within 7 days for the injured women’s medical expenses.