Even after one month, the Central government is yet to notify the CBI inquiry into the Mukroh incident.
On November 24, Union Home Minister Amit Shah agreed to the demand of Meghalaya for a CBI inquiry into the Mukroh village firing incident on November 22, in which six people were killed in firing by Assam Police of which five were from Meghalaya and one was an Assam forest guard.
Incidentally, the Government of Assam has also requested a CBI enquiry into the matter.
“Meghalaya CM @SangmaConrad met Union Home & Co-op Minister @AmitShah today and requested CBI inquiry into the unfortunate incident on Assam-Meghalaya border. Govt of Assam has also requested CBI inquiry into the matter. HM @AmitShah has assured that GOI will conduct a CBI inquiry,” the Ministry of Home Affairs had said in a tweet on November 24.
On December 6, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had said that the State government is awaiting a notification from the Centre for instituting a CBI probe into the Mukroh firing incident.
Despite the delay by the Centre to notify the CBI probe, the Meghalaya government has chosen to remain passive by not putting pressure on the Centre to issue the notification so that the inquiry could start and also to ensure justice to the victims.
The Meghalaya government had set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the Deputy Inspector General (Eastern Range) to investigate the Mukroh incident.
According to the State government, the SIT would conduct the probe and will later hand it over to the central agency whenever it takes over the inquiry.
Meanwhile, Justice Rumi Kumari Phukan, a retired judge of Guwahati High Court who is heading Assam’s judicial inquiry into the Mukroh firing incident, on December 28 visited Mukroh village.During her visit, she met local police, and forest department personnel from Mukoilum and Mukroh.
The Assam government on November 23 formed a one-man enquiry commission headed by Phukan and the commission had fixed December 27 as the date for a public hearing that called for persons or organisations having knowledge of the facts and circumstances to appear and submit the statement to the commission.
The next date of hearing will be held on January 9, 2023.