Shillong: Minister of Houses Meghalaya Lahkmen Rymbui resigned on Sunday amidst violence in Shillong over a former militant police shot.
Rymbui also urged Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to institutionalize a judicial investigation of the shooting of Cheristerfield Thanghiew, Secretary General of hisself from the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council who had surrendered.
“I hereby revealed the surprise at the incident (L) Chesterfield Thanghiew was killed after the police raid at his residence beyond legal principles,” he said in his letter to the Minister of Chief.
“I want to ask you to relieve the department of the house (police) from me with a direct effect.
This will facilitate free and fair inquiry taken by the government to bring up the truth of the incident.
I propose a judicial investigation,” he added.
Rymbui told PTI that the Democratic Party united also supported the decision to retreat.
“I have put my papers, after consulting with my party’s leadership, to allow free and fair inquiry to be the murder of Thanghiew,” he said.
UDP, the Allied NPP Sangma in the Government of the Democratic Alliance Meghalaya, was also urgent for judicial investigations into the incident, which resulted in hard protests, said Rymbui.
A source close to the minister’s chairman said the government received resignation when the minister at home was not aware of the incident.
The Meghalaya government has imposed a curfew in Shillong and prohibits cellular internet services at least four districts as vandalism and burning shake the country’s closest capital and region on independence day.
Thangkhiew, who surrendered in 2018, was shot dead on August 13 when he was suspected of trying to attack the police team with a knife during the attack at his home in connection with a series of IED explosions in the state.
The police said they had evidence that Thanghiew interpreted the blast after his surrender.