Former Deputy Chief Minister Bindo M Lanong has written directly to the Border Security Force (BSF) Meghalaya to pose a series of questions as to how the border force’s personnel could have shot dead a civilian truck driver last week.
While appreciating the arrest of the three BSF personnel on duty at the time of the incident on the Pynursla-Dawki road on May 5, Lanong questioned why the force had stationed men some 9km away from the international border.
On the fateful day, Roning Nongkynrih was transporting several buffalo by truck when he was apparently shot dead by BSF personnel near Pynursla. His brother, who was also the truck handyman, claimed that Nongkynrih had stopped when ordered to do so by the BSF personnel but that they had shot him regardless. The BSF, on the other hand, claimed that the truck did not heed its personnel’s warnings to stop and that the force resorted to firing blanks. Three BSF personnel have been arrested in connection with the death as investigations proceed.
Lanong went on to accuse the BSF of indiscipline within the force, alleging that its personnel “are always reportedly absent from their place of duty, leaving behind the porous borders in search of liquor and other entertainments”.
Instead of firing directly at Nongkynrih, the BSF could have fired into the air or “at the most” at the tyres of the truck and spared the life of the father of two. Lanong also requested that the case be investigated by the state police and that the BSF consider paying compensation to the family of the victim.
