Magisterial inquiry fails to draw support from public

Shillong, Nov 26 (UNI) A magisterial inquiry by the Meghalaya government, to probe into the killing of five Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council(HNLC) ultras, has failed to draw views from civil society organisations.

''No one from either the NGOs or from family members of the victims have submitted their affidavits before the inquiry officer,'' East Khasi Hills District Deputy Commissioner B Dhar told UNI here today.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Tableland Lyngwa district has been entrusted with the responsibility to probe into the killing of the HNLC militants in an encounter, by the state's Special Operation Team(SOT) at Cleave Colony here on October 30 last.

The NGOs had, however, termed it as a ''fake-encounter''.

Two police personnel - Sub-Inspector Kamal Thapa and constable Cronen Marak - were also injured in the gun battle, in which the militants were killed. The police seized one AK-47 rifle, three magazines, one modified DBBL gun and two modified SBBL guns, one Chinese-made hand grenade and ammunition from the militants' vehicle. SP A R Mawthoh said that the slain militants were here with a mission to eliminate Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council Chief Executive Member H S Shylla and HNLC Chairman Julius Dorphang, who had surrendered some months ago.

UNI