GSU gives govt ultimatum to constitute fresh probe

Shillong, May 17: The Garo Student's Union (GSO) has served a 15-day ultimatum to the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government.

The GSU had asked Chief Minister D D Lapang to constitute fresh inquiry into Williamnagar police firing incident and initiate action against the officials involved in the Tura firing incident.

The GSU and several other NGOs were opposed to the probe conducted by Justice (Retd) D N Baruah into the Tura incident in which five people, including a woman, were killed and scores injured, describing it as "partial".

''We have asked the government to initiate a fresh inquiry into the incident and take action against the officials, indicted by the Justice D N Chowdhury Commission into Tura police firing incident,'' GSU acting president Utjol Chandra Sangma told UNI here.

Mr Sangma said, ''if the government fails to comply within the stipulated time, the GSU would take to streets to force the Lapang-led Ministry to implement their demand.'' Altogether nine people, including a woman, were killed in the twin police firing incident at Tura and Williamnagar on September 30, 2005 over the issue of revamping and restructuring of the Meghalaya Board of School Education.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker and NCP leader Purno A Sangma said, ''The party would approach Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to direct the CBI probe into the Williamnagar police firing incident.''

UNI