Meghalaya orders probe into militants' killing

The Meghalaya government Tuesday ordered a magisterial probe into the killing of four militants in an alleged staged gunfight by SWAT commandos Jan 11, officials said.

"A magisterial inquiry was instituted today (Tuesday) to ascertain the facts of the incident," West Garo Hills district magistrate Pravin Bakshi told IANS.

The A'chik National Volunteers Council-B (ANVC-B) alleged that four of its men were killed in a staged shootout in Darengagal area in West Garo Hills.

The report will be submitted to the government for deciding the further course of action. The inquiry will be headed by an additional district magistrate.

Various pressure groups demanded an independent probe by a retired high court judge into the alleged gunbattle.

"The cadres were tied to a tree and killed in cold blood by police. One cadre escaped with bullet injuries. There were no arms, explosives in the camp. If police claimed they found anything, then they had planted it all," an ANVC-B spokesman said.

However, police rubbished the ANVC-B's allegations.

"They (ANVC-B rebels) opened fire at the SWAT commandos and our boys retaliated leading to the killing of the four rebels. They are creating an alibi to win people's sympathy but the residents have been so cooperative with us," said West Garo Hills district police chief Mukesh Kumar Singh.