SHILLONG: HNLC leader Cherishterfield Thangkhiew was killed in a “botched up operation”.
This was stated in the report one-man commission of inquiry.
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The inquiry report revealed the raid was well planned. However, it was executed poorly.
Justice Vaiphei, in his report, stated that the raid was a “botched up operation”.
The prime objective of the raid was to apprehend the former HNLC leader alive.
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The commission report stated, “In my opinion, having entered what could potentially be a lion’s den in darkness without proper planning and without taking adequate precaution, State Witness No. 4 had taken purely avoidable and unnecessary risk endangering his own life and that of deceased whom the team professed to have not intended to kill him in the first place.”
“In my considered view, the post facto excuse that none but the deceased was hurt cannot be a valid justification for carrying out the operation hastily and in a reckless manner by the Tactical Team-I,” the report said.
“My finding is that the Tactical Team-I in carrying out the operation to arrest the deceased at his residence on 13-8-2021 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,” Justice Vaiphei stated in his report.
The inquiry report was tabled in the Meghalaya assembly on Friday.
Soon after the report was tabled in the Meghalaya assembly protests broke out in Shillong, with security being beefed up across the city.
Former HNLC leader Cherishterfield Thangkhiew was killed in an encounter in the wee hours of August 13 last year.