UDP urges Centre to discourage radical elements

The United Democratic Party (UDP) has urged the Centre to discourage radical elements who are trying to vitiate the atmosphere of hatred and animosity.

“We urged upon the Govt of the day to come up with strong measures to discourage radical elements to vitiate the atmosphere of hatred and animosity. Respect towards all religions should be maintained at all cost” UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said in a statement.

He said the party expressed apprehension over the news item that two prominent church leaders from the state were being manhandled. “If the report is true, then it should be condemned strongly. India being a secular country, any form of discrimination and atrocities perpetrated by radical elements of any religious groups should not be tolerated,” Mawthoh added.

Cheristerfield Thangkiew’s death: Govt to first study explanation by Tactical Team – I

Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong today said the government will decide on the action after going through the explanation submitted by the Tactical Team-I, which had conducted the operation at the residence of former HNLC leader (L) Cheristerfield Thangkhiew which led to his death on August 13, 2021.

“Let the process start. Right now the department has just received the explanation (submitted by Tactical Team-I). We will go through all of it. Once that is done we will see what action will be taken,” Tynsong told reporters.

The explanation was sought by the state government after the report of the One Man Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice T Vaiphei was tabled in the Assembly’s autumn session held last year.

The report stated that the operation was well planned but poorly executed since the team was supposed to capture (L) Thangkhiew alive.

Justice T Vaiphei in his report 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,” Justice Vaiphei said in his report.

“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,” he added.

The report had said the common thread of evidence running through the statements of these state witnesses is that the objective of the operation was professed to be simply to capture the deceased alive and not to shoot at him.

That was the decision taken in the tactical meeting held prior to the operation.

“In my considered view, the operation was a well-plan, but executed poorly, recklessly, hastily and without proper application of mind,” Justice Vaiphei had said adding “In order words, it was a botched-up operation and failing in its objective of apprehending the deceased alive, who would have given valuable information to the police about the subversive activities of the proscribed HNLC outfit.”

Meghalaya polls 2023: NPP leading in 23 seats

Shillong, March 2 (IANS) Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party (NPP) is maintaining a lead in 23 seats as the counting of votes got underway on Thursday for the February 27 Meghalaya Assembly polls.

Compared to the two seats they won in the 2018 elections, the BJP is ahead in almost 10 seats, according to the early trends in counting.

While the Trinamool Congress is leading in 10 seats, the Congress party, which was the single largest party in Meghalaya in the last Assembly election, is trailing. The grand-old party is leading in only nine seats.

LIVE UPDATES: Meghalaya Assembly Election Results 2023

The other regional party, the United Democratic Party (UDP), has been projected to win six seats.

Notably, UDP was a part of the NPP-led government in Meghalaya for the last five years, although the party has not forged an alliance with the NPP and fought the election separately.