Shillong ( Meghalaya), July 26 : The opposition All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has demanded an independent probe into the Tura mob attack in CMO, Tura and immediate suspension of the Director General of Police (DGP) Dr LR Bishnoi and SP, Tura for allegedly endangering the life of the chief minister and many innocent lives, who were attending the meeting on that day.
“We demand that an independent probe monitored by the High Court be immediately instituted to investigate the violence that happened in Tura on July 24,” said a press statement issued here on July 26.
“We also demand that the DGP and SP Tura be immediately suspended as due to their failure in executing their duties they have gravely endangered the life of the chief minister and have put at risk many innocent lives that have participated in the meeting,” it said while adding “The complicity of the police cannot be ruled out and have a hand in instigating the violence inspite of them knowing about the “planned conspiracy” well in time.”
The demand came a day after the DGP had stated that the mob attack was pre-planned and a conspiracy to commit murder on the CM.
“The DGP has disclosed that there was a “planned conspiracy” to harm the chief minister. This itself shows the incompetence and abject failure of the police department in timely detection of the “planned conspiracy” while it was hatched. Under LR Bishnoi, the police have endangered the life of the chief minister and put at risk the lives of many innocent people who had peacefully gathered before the CMO, Tura.”
It said that the anger that was venting against one of the cabinet minister prior to her visit to Tura was ignored and the police department was taking matters casually. The posts in social media indicate that emotions and aspirations were already running high.
“Even MLAs were targeted in numerous online comments. This points to one glaring fact – that the police department was complicit in allowing the violence to happen and have endangered the life of the chief minister,” the TMC statement said.
“The DGP has in his statement blamed several conspirators who have planned to harm the CM while he was meeting people in his own constituency. The police are, therefore, informing us that the chief minister is being targeted by his own constituents and he is not safe even in his own constituency,” the statement said.
The press statement also said that the TMC, Meghalaya condemned the perpetrators of violence and appealed for peace to be maintained at all costs. “Issues cannot be solved by violence. Dialogue and communication should be the way forward and the safety of the people should be the mandate of one and all,” the statement added.
