Prime accused in Meghalaya activist Agnes Kharshiing’s assault surrenders

The prime accused in the attack on Meghalaya rights activist Agnes Kharshiing and her aide, has surrendered before the police in East Jaintia Hills district.

The prime accused in the attack on Meghalaya rights activist Agnes Kharshiing and her aide, has surrendered before the police in East Jaintia Hills district, a police officer said Thursday.

Meghalaya rights activist Agnes Kharshiing. (File photo)

Nidamon Chullet, who is a leader of the ruling National Peoples Party in East Jaintia Hills district and the prime accused in the assault of the two women, surrendered before the Superintendent of Police, Sylvester Nongtynger on Wednesday, the SP said.

Another accused, identified as Cheerful K Ryngkhlem, also surrendered before the SP on the same day, Nongtynger said.

Earlier, the police had arrested six persons in connection with the attack.

The RTI activist had suffered injuries after she was allegedly assaulted by a group of people suspected to be belonging to the coal mining mafia in East Jaintia Hills district on November 8.

Kharshiing and her aide Amita Sangma had gone to the area to capture photographs of illegal coal mining and were stopped by the miscreants on their way back.

Sangma had written to Governor Tathagata Roy seeking arrest of Chullet, who she had claimed, was the “mastermind” of the attack.

The duo had demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the case to identify all the accused and trace the people who were sponsoring the alleged illegal mining racket in the state.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had condemned the incident and asked the police to nab the culprits.

Violence in any form would not be tolerated and the government would take all necessary steps to ensure that those behind the attack were arrested, the chief minister had said.

The state government had also approved a proposal for a judicial probe into the matter, but has not come out with an official notification yet.