SHILLONG:
The family of former Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, who was killed in an encounter, has rejected the state government’s offer of government jobs and money as they don’t want to compromise with their case seeking CBI probe into the killing.
This was revealed by Cheristerfield Thangkhiew’s younger brother, Granary Starfield Thangkhiew, after the family was joined by leaders of HNLC and NGOs – Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO) – in paying rich tributes to him on his second death anniversary, here on Sunday.
Floral wreaths were also laid at his tombstone at the Lawmali cemetery.
Speaking to reporters, Granary said that the state government had offered to give government jobs to the two sons of Cheristerfield and money to the family in June, before the family filed a petition before the Meghalaya High Court.
“The offer was in the form of a give-and-take. Therefore, we have outright rejected it as we don’t want to compromise with the case and want justice for our late brother,” he said while adding “If the government was making the offer to help us, we would have accepted it but since it is in the form of a give-and-take (meaning we take the job and compromise to close the case), we cannot accept as a family.”
Granary said the government’s offer was made through the chief secretary.
“The chief secretary had sent his people to my house to tell me that he wanted to talk to me and through them I spoke to him over the phone and asked if it was true that he had sent these people and he replied in the affirmative. Then I told him if that is true then give us sometime as a family to discuss. However, the following day, the same person again came to meet us and I told him that as a family we have decided that the government should give us in writing and he said okay they will give and that it is not a problem. This person came back next day and told us that the chief secretary said that they cannot give it (offer made) in writing.”
When asked, Granary said that the offer was made because the government understood that they had committed a mistake by eliminating his brother.
“Had they (Government) killed him based on concrete evidence, I don’t think they would be making such offers. But since they realised that they had committed a mistake they made offer and that too in the form of give-andtake,” he added.
Cheristerfield Thangkhiew was killed during a raid conducted by the Tactical Team-I of the state police at his residence at Mawlai Kynton Massar on August 13, 2021.
Earlier, the state government had sought explanation from the Tactical Team-I after the report of the One Man Commision of Inquiry headed by Justice T Vaiphei was tabled in the state Assembly last year.
Granary also alleged that his brother was killed by the terrorists of the Conrad K Sangma-led state government under the leadership of the East Jaintia Hills SP Jagpal Singh Dhana and said, “We will continue to fight for justice as a family.”
“After the state government failed to take any action and refused to hand over the investigation to the CBI, we finally decided to approach the single bench of the Meghalaya High Court with a prayer that it should direct the state government to hand over the investigation to the CBI,” he said.
“The delay of the government to take action against the Tactical Team-I of the state police only proves beyond doubt that they are hand in glove (in the incident). If they are not, then why should they be afraid to take action against them. They are afraid if action is taken, the officers concerned will confess who had given the order (to eliminate Cheristerfield),” he added further.
He said that the family has been asked to file a reply to the government’s affidavit within a period of three weeks.
The younger brother further stated that the family is satisfied with the findings of the One Man Commission of Inquiry which had stated, “Therefore, my finding is that the Tactical Team-I in carrying out the operation to arrest the deceased at his residence on August 13, 2021 at about 3 am was culpable of thoughtless and excessive use of force, which resulted in the death of the deceased, late Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, which turned out to be avoidable.”
“It was a pre-planned to murder him and not arrest. They came here to shoot him dead because if they needed to talk to him, why didn’t they come in the afternoon as he was at home whole day. Till now, we don’t know who issued the order that is why we are demanding CBI probe to know who ordered his killing,” he said.