Meghalaya govt orders judicial inquiry into Nov 8 attack on RTI activist

The Meghalaya government decided Monday to institute a judicial inquiry into the circumstances that led to the November 8 attack on RTI activist Agnes Kharshiing and her aide Amita Sangma allegedly by the coal mafias in East Jaintia Hills district.

Both Amita and Agnes are recovering in the ICU of the North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences following the attack.

"The cabinet has decided to institute an inquiry into the circumstances that led to the incident in East Jaintia Hills district (on November 8)," state Home Minister James P K Sangma told mediapersons.

He said, "We are very concerned about the situation, which is why we have decided to go for a fact-finding inquiry."
Asked about a district leader of the ruling National People's Party (NPP) named as the "mastermind" of the attack by Amita, the home minister, who is also the party spokesperson, said, "I can assure you that the law will take its own course and action will be taken irrespective of the person's party affiliation."
He said the police were actively pursuing the matter, adding, "There is no bias in the investigation just because he belongs to a political party."