NHRC takes suo-motu cognizance of students' death
in police firing in Meghalaya
New Delhi, 5 October 2005
The Commission has taken suo-motu cognizance on the basis of a media report of the killing of students in police firing in Meghalaya on 30 September 2005.
Passing directions on 4 October 2005, the Commission said, "if the contents of the report are true, it raises serious issues of violation of human rights of citizen". It directed that a copy of the news item be sent to the Chief Secretary, Meghalaya for his comments within four weeks.
The news report published in a national daily on 1 October 2005 reported that at least 11 students were killed and nearly 90 wounded when police opened fire to quell thousands of student protestors who had taken to the streets in Tura and William Nagar districts of Meghalaya. The firing in the two district headquarters, it stated, was unprovoked. The condition of many of the injured was stated to be critical. Authorities, it stated, have clamped an indefinite curfew in the two district headquarters of Tura and William Nagar with Army and Paramilitary soldiers being called out to prevent further backlash. The rallies in the two towns were organized by the Garo Students' Union to oppose plans by the State Government to shift the headquarters of the Meghalaya Board of Secondary Education (MBOSE) from Tura to Shillong. The controversy over relocation of MOBOSE has been an emotive issue with the tribal Khasis and Garos engaged in a bitter war of words for more than four months now, the news report stated.
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The Commission has taken suo-motu cognizance on the basis of a media report of the killing of students in police firing in Meghalaya on 30 September 2005.
Passing directions on 4 October 2005, the Commission said, "if the contents of the report are true, it raises serious issues of violation of human rights of citizen". It directed that a copy of the news item be sent to the Chief Secretary, Meghalaya for his comments within four weeks.
The news report published in a national daily on 1 October 2005 reported that at least 11 students were killed and nearly 90 wounded when police opened fire to quell thousands of student protestors who had taken to the streets in Tura and William Nagar districts of Meghalaya. The firing in the two district headquarters, it stated, was unprovoked. The condition of many of the injured was stated to be critical. Authorities, it stated, have clamped an indefinite curfew in the two district headquarters of Tura and William Nagar with Army and Paramilitary soldiers being called out to prevent further backlash. The rallies in the two towns were organized by the Garo Students' Union to oppose plans by the State Government to shift the headquarters of the Meghalaya Board of Secondary Education (MBOSE) from Tura to Shillong. The controversy over relocation of MOBOSE has been an emotive issue with the tribal Khasis and Garos engaged in a bitter war of words for more than four months now, the news report stated.
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