BSF personnel under investigation for shooting trucker

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 21: Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong today informed that an investigation is on into the gunning down of a trucker by the BSF personnel at Mawshun village on May 5, this year.

Replying to a zero-hour notice moved by NPP legislator from Sohra Gavin Miguel Mylliem in the Assembly, Tynsong said that there are two FIRs being filed on the incident.

On May 5, 2023, at around 10.24 pm, an incident occurred in which (L) Running Nongkynrih of Jalynteng, driver of the truck (ML 05F 3885) was fired upon by a BSF personnel at Mawshun village near petrol pump, NH-40 (Shillong-Dawki Road, Pynursla.

Due to the firing incident, the driver succumbed to his injuries and died on the spot.

He said one FIR was filed by a relative of the deceased, Riverskhem Nongkynrih and another FIR was filed by the BSF against the deceased person at the Pynursla police station.

“The investigation of both the cases is ensuing, and the police officials are putting in sincere efforts to ascertain the facts and circumstances of both the cases,” Tynsong said.

He said that no one was arrested in connection with the instant case.

As per the report filed by Riverskhem, it was intimated that the complainant and his cousin’s brother, the deceased person, were proceeding from Umthli village to transport buffaloes to their owner’s shed and on reaching near Mawshun village, the deceased person took a right turn in order to unload the buffaloes. However, during that time a mini truck of BSF was also following them from behind and suddenly without any warning the BSF personnel rushed towards the complainant and the victim and started firing, as a result of which the victim collapsed.

In its counter FIR filed against the deceased driver (L) Running Nongkynrih, the BSF said that on the night of May 5, 2023, the mobile check post (MCP) party of ‘G’ Company, 4 Battalion Border Security Force deployed for duty at Pynursla-Dawki road near Wahkdait village, had cautioned the driver to stop for checking.

Instead of stopping, the driver tried to escape by hitting and running over the BSF personnel on duty.

The personnel on duty sensing danger, had fired 2 rounds in the air at an interval, but the driver did not stop and tried to hit the personnel on duty.

Seeing an imminent threat to his life the personnel again fired one round towards the tyre of the truck with the intention to stop the vehicle, but the driver turned his vehicle towards the left and collided with the divider.

Tynsong said that the gunning down of the victim had sparked the ire of the local populace and a law and order situation had arisen.

“In view of the tense situation in the area, security has been tightened and Meghalaya police is keeping a close watch on the situation,” he said while informing that as of now the situation is normal in the area.

SDRF recovers mortal remains of landslide victim

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) recovered the body of the last victim of the landslide tragedy at Ryngngain in East Khasi Hills District on Sunday.

The body identified as that of late Krejunlang Khongjirem was trapped under the rubble of rocks and soil following the landslip incident which occurred last Friday.

The SDRF were pressed into action following a call from District police on Friday evening about the landslip incident at Ryngngain. On reaching the spot they were informed that 9 occupants who were sitting in the passenger vehicle had sustained minor injuries and were taken to Pynursla PHC.

However, another vehicle with 2 (two) occupants inside was knocked down off the road and had fallen into a deep gorge.

SDRF personnel were first able to recover the body of late Seiborlang Jaktung, the driver of the vehicle, in the afternoon of 15 April 2023 and with the help of local villagers they were able to bring back the body at around 2100 Hrs approximately and handed over the body to the police.

Two teams of SDRF personnel were deployed for the recovery operation at Ryngngain East Khasi Hills from the force headquarters at Mawdiangdiang.

The SDRF personnel worked in close cooperation with the local residents at Ryngngain to recover the bodies of the occupants of the second vehicle.

The recovery operation of the SDRF ended with the recovery of the second victim on Sunday.

Ex-Servicemen to join protest over OROP

Staff Reporter

Shillong, April 4: The General Secretary of the Meghalaya Ex-servicemen League Buam Myrthong today said that they will be forced to take part in the protest against the disparity when it comes to One Rank One Pension (OROP).

Speaking to media persons, Myrthong said that all ex-servicemen from the state have decided to lend support to the fellow ex-servicemen who will be protesting in Delhi against the alleged disparity in the OROP.

Myrthong said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken the decision to implement OROP I in 2014 but there are still many issues which the ex-servicemen faced since 2014 which compel the ex-servicemen to come and protest in Delhi to demand for review of the OROP II.

He added that there is a disparity in the OROP as there is a difference of Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 50,000 between one rank within the army and since the cost of essential commodities is increasing day by day, it is injustice for ex-servicemen who have served the country.

“This protest against the alleged disparity in OROP is not only happening in Delhi but it is witnessed in different parts of the country and those who can travel to Delhi are already in the national capital to take part in the protest for the common interest of all ex-servicemen,” said Myrthong.

Myrthong said that it has been 42 days since the ex-servicemen are protesting in Jantar Mantar in Delhi but till date there has been no response from the central government to address this issue of all ex-servicemen.

He added that in the OROP II, the central government plans to implement equal pay for all who are in the same rank and who have the same amount of years in their respective services.