Shillong, Nov 12: The North East Dialogue Forum (NEDF) has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the need to have an independent inquiry into the brutal attack on social activist, Agnes Kharshiing and her aide, Amita Sangma in coal-rich East Jaiñtia Hills district.

The Forum also demanded investigation into the brutal murder of Jaiñtia Hills-based social activist, Poipynhun Majaw in March this year and other cases.

In a petition submitted to Modi on Monday, NEDF convenor, U. Nobokishore said, “We urge you to initiate an independent investigation against each of the killings especially the killing of Majaw and the attack on Agnes and Amita and arrest all perpetrators involved.”

Nobokishore also urged the Prime Minister to direct the state government to provide the details of the trucks operating in the area where the attack had occurred and the list of the truck owners who are taking part in the transportation of coal from East Jaiñtia Hills district.

“Agnes and Amita were brutally attacked by those behind the illegal coal mining and illegal transportation of coal, for tracking the route of illegal coal trucks and taking photographs at Tuber Sohshrieh village,” he said.

“…we received some credible information from the ground that truck drivers and their associates were informed about the presence of Agnes and Amita. There is a high suspicion that some key leaders are behind the scene to let the attack take place by systematically mobilizing the drivers and their associates. It needs to be recalled that Agnes and Amita met few officials in East Jaiñtia Hills before the attack,” Nobikishore said.

Meanwhile, the Forum has also suggested that the investigation into the killings should be taken up by the team of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Special Investigation Unit (SIU).

“We urge you to communicate with the team of NHRC’s SIU to visit East Jaiñtia Hills and Shillong to investigate the aforementioned killings,” he said.

According to Nobokishore, till date no justice was delivered to Majaw, who was murdered for his continuous engagement with RTI works in the same district, and his family was promises by the police of arresting the criminals within six months.

Referring to the petrol bomb attack on the residence of an editor of an English daily in Shillong, he said not a single person involved in the attack could be seen arrested till date while recalling killings in the past few years which include Balsan Marak, Witson M. Sangma and Fullmoon Dhar.

“Learning from all the incidents, we observe that a series of attacks and killings were well organized with proper planning as the nature of crime reveals that not a small group of people or gangs alone can commit such crime,” he added.

The Forum further urged the Prime Minister to also communicate with the UN Special Rapporteur on the violence against women, and its consequences, and UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights defenders at the earliest.