Shillong Sept 2 (IANS) The Meghalaya government Friday announced a high-level probe into the ‘secret killings’ of tribal Garo people by A’chik National Volunteers Council (ANVC) rebels in the state.
ANVC, considered the most powerful militant group in Garo Hills, but currently in a tripartite ceasefire agreement with the central and state governments, has been accused by its rival group, the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) of indulging in secret killings.
‘Since the allegations are serious, we have constituted an inquiry committee to probe into these allegations of secret killings by ANVC in the Garo Hills,’ Chief Secretary W.M.S.Pariat told journalists here.
Peter W. Ingty, the divisional commissioner, has been appointed to probe into killing. ‘We have given him a month’s time to submit his findings to the state government,’ Pariat said.
A GNLA leader alleged many innocent Garo youths were silently killed by ANVC and their bodies were buried in unmarked graves at ANVC’s designated camp at Samanda and behind their liaison office at Tura.
In fact, the GNLA has threatened a four-day shutdown beginning Sep 9, if the government fails to investigate the ANVC’s secret killings.
