Sangma welcomes court notice to Meghalaya govt on twin firing case

Guwahati, Jan 3 (UNI) Former Lok Sabha Speaker and senior NCP leader PA Sangma today welcomed Gauhati High Court's notice to the Meghalaya government regarding the twin firing incidents in Tura and Williamnagar in Garo hills, which killed nine people in September 2005.

A special bench of the High Court, headed by Chief Justice J Chelameswar and Justice BP Kakoty, had yesterday asked the Meghalaya government what action it had taken against the security personnel involved in the incidents.

Family members of the victims had filed a PIL in the High Court after the state government allegedly failed to act upon the enquiry reports filed by two government-instituted commissions, which held the police and administration responsible for the incident.

The petitioners had also sought a CBI probe but the Court would decide on recommending a CBI enquiry based on the government reply to its notice.

Mr Sangma, talking to reporters here, said that the Court's intervention will help in booking the culprits.

The twin firing incidents had occurred at Tura and Willamnagar when people had gathered to protest the government's decision to revamp the Meghalaya Board of Secondary Education. Nine people had died and seven others were injured.

The Meghalaya government had instituted two probes and the government had also tabled the reports in the state Assembly, but no action had been initiated yet against the officials found erring.

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