Meghalaya home minister resigns amid violence over police shooting of former militant
Shillong, Aug 15: Meghalaya Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui resigned on Sunday amid violence in Shillong over the police shooting of a former militant.
Rymbui also urged Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to institute a judicial inquiry into the shooting of Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, the self-styled general secretary of the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council who had surrendered.
"I hereby express shock to the incident where (L) Chesterfield Thangkhiew was killed following the raid of police at his residence exceeding the lawful tenets of the law," he stated in his letter to the chief minister.
"I would like to request you to relieve the Home (Police) Department from me with immediate effect. This will facilitate free and fair inquiry taken by the government to bring out the truth of the incident. I propose judicial inquiry be conducted," he added.
Rymbui told PTI that his United Democratic Party also backed the decision to step down.
"I have put forth my papers, after due consultation with my party leadership, to allow a free and fair probe into the killing of Thangkhiew," he said.
UDP, an ally of the Sangma's NPP in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, also urged for a judicial probe into the incident, which resulted in violent protests, Rymbui said.
A source close to the chief minister said the government accepted the resignation as the home minister was unaware of the incident.
The Meghalaya government has imposed a curfew in Shillong and banned mobile internet services in at least four districts as vandalism and arson rocked the state capital and nearby areas on Independence Day.
Thangkhiew, who had surrendered in 2018, was shot dead on August 13 when he allegedly tried to attack a police team with a knife during a raid at his house in connection with a series of IED blasts in the state.
Police said they have evidence that Thangkhiew masterminded the blasts after his surrender.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
India could get new PM soon, claims Prithviraj Chavan; says comments linked to Epstein files release
Pune (PTI): Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan, citing the release of the controversial Jeffrey Epstein files in the United States on December 19, has claimed India could soon have a new prime minister.
He also said the country's new PM could be from Maharashtra.
After a recent social media post in which he hinted that a "Marathi manoos" could become India's PM within a month, Chavan, speaking at an event in Pimpri Chinchwad here on Saturday, said several persons had contacted him seeking a clarification on the remark.
"A lot of developments are taking place at the global level. When I made that post, many asked me to explain what I meant. My statement was based on a hypothetical political possibility. If someone from Maharashtra were to become prime minister, the present prime minister would have to step down. I only underlined the possibility of a change," Chavan explained.
The former Union minister said his comments were linked to December 19, the date on which the US Congress is expected to release the Epstein files that he claimed could have wider global implications.
ALSO READ: We'll work with truth, non-violence to remove Modi-RSS govt: Rahul
"It has been said that the files contain sting operation-related material involving several big leaders. Some names are already doing the rounds on social media," he said.
Speaking to reporters, Chavan said some data in the form of photos has already been released.
"The data contains big world leaders such as presidents, prime ministers. There is a logic that the release of the data might affect our country's politics also and in such a scenario, big developments can take place," Chavan said.
Talking about his "Marathi manoos" becoming PM claim, Chavan said it is just political analysis that if a new prime minister is to be appointed, it will be from within BJP only.
"Given the options in BJP for the new face, I see alternatives from Maharashtra," said Chavan, without elaborating on names he has in mind.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by US Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump last month, requires that the Justice Department disclose Epstein-related records to the public by Dec 19.
Epstein, a millionaire money manager known for socializing with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and the academic elite, killed himself in jail a month after his 2019 arrest in a sex trafficking case.
