Shillong Unrest: Who is the Ex-HNLC Leader? Why Was He Killed?

The Meghalaya government's order comes amid reports and visuals of protests, vandalism and arson emerging from the state capital of Shillong, as well as neighbouring areas.

(Photo Courtesy: EastMojo)

The Meghalaya government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the death of Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, former leader of the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), who was killed in an encounter during a raid at his residence in Shillong during the wee hours of Friday, 13 July.

The Meghalaya government's order comes amid reports and visuals of protests, vandalism and arson emerging from the state capital of Shillong, as well as neighbouring areas.

Thangkhiew's death has invoked massive outrage amid the public, who have dubbed it a 'fake encounter' and a violation of human rights by the police.

This also led to the state Home Minister tendering his resignation, and the cabinet taking a slew of decisions pertaining to the incident and the outrage.

BUT WHO WAS CHERISHTERFIELD THANGKHIEW?

Chierishterfield Thangkiew was an ex rebel leader from the banned outfit. He is reported to have been one of the founding members of HNLC and a self-styled general secretary.

In 2004, he left Meghalaya for Bangladesh and did not return to India, till he surrendered before Meghalaya Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong in 2018.

As per social activist and journalist Patricia Mukhim, most recently Thangkiew was unofficially a sort of interlocutor between the HNLC and the Government.

He is believed to have been 57-years-old at the time of his death. His brother was quoted by EastMojo as saying:

“My brother was very ill, he was always at home. He couldn’t even walk up the stairs and his legs were swollen since he had kidney problems and other health issues.”

People arrived in swarms to pay their last respects to “Bah (brother) Che” before he was buried on 15 August.

WHAT IS THE POLICE SAYING?

The raid was in which Thangkhiew was killed was reportedly carried out by a combined team of East Jaintia Hills and East Khasi Hills Police.

Even as his family maintains otherwise, the police have dubbed his killing as due to “retaliatory firing,” alleging that Thangkhiew had weilding a knife and had attacked one of the police personnel.

Meghalaya police has also claimed that the reason for the raid was incontrovertible evidence that linked the surrendered militant to recent IED blasts in the sate.

BUT HERE’S WHAT THE HOME MINISTER SAID:

The Meghalaya Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, however, tendering his resignation on Sunday amid violence in Shillong, urged the Chief Minister of State to institute a judicial probe into the shooting of Thangkhiew.

According to NDTV, the home minister also alleged in his resignation letter that Thangkhiew was "killed following the raid of police at his residence exceeding the lawful tenets of the law".

Further, requesting to be relieved from the Home (Police) Department with immediate effect, Rymbui wrote: “This will facilitate free and fair enquiry taken by the government to bring out the truth of the incident."

CM Sangma, as per EastMojo, has reviewed Rymbui’s resignation, but he will continue to remain-in-charge until the same is accepted.

AND WHAT IS THANGKHIEW’S FAMILY CLAIMING?

Thangkhiew’s family have refuted all claims of his involvement with the recent blasts, and have, as per BBC, called his death "cold-blooded murder”.

Thangkhiew’s brother G Thangkhiew has alleged that the encounter was pre-planned, as the police just wanted to eliminate him.

His sons Grainy FG Diengdoh and Olifin G Diengdoh, who have claimed that they were in the same room during the raid, alleged that the police barged into their house, kicked and beat them, and covered their faces with blankets.

“The only next thing I saw was my father lying dead on the ground and I think he was still breathing. His body was lying on the ground for almost an hour after he was shot. They did not rush him to the hospital at all."

Grainy FG Diengdoh, as per East Mojo

On being asked if there was any knife, Grainy also told EastMojo: “We don’t put a knife in the bedroom and it would be in the kitchen which was on the ground floor.”

DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE MEGHALAYA CABINET

The Meghalaya cabinet, in the meantime, has taken the following decisions in connection with the events:

• A judicial enquiry under the Commission of Enquiry Act to look into the events that occurred in the wee hours of 13th August, 2021.

• A Peace Committee will be constituted, chaired by the Deputy Chief Minister P Tynsong and Cabinet Ministers H. Dohling and R. L. Tongkhar. The Committee is slated to co-opt members from among civil societies, religious organisations, community heads, etc.

• A Sub-Committee for Security and Law and Order has also been planned. It will be headed by the Chief Minister, and will have Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister as members to look into aspects of law and order, possible future threats and overall functioning of Meghalaya Police.

• Amid the ongoing situation in Shillong, the curfew will be extended till 5AM of 18 August. The temporary ban on mobile internet services will also be extended for the next 24 hours.

(With inputs from EastMojo, NDTV and BBC)