SHILLONG: North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum, accompanied by local leaders, on Monday, met Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong and submitted a memorandum seeking an independent probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the midnight police operation in Jaiaw on August 19, 2026.
The memorandum was accompanied by a detailed dossier containing information and documents collected by Nongrum in connection with the incident.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Adelbert Nongrum acknowledged the Government’s decision to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) but said he had sought a CBI inquiry to ensure an independent investigation. Questioning whether a police agency should investigate allegations involving police personnel, he said an independent agency was required to establish the facts.
Nongrum alleged that the use of tear gas during the operation affected residents and families in the area. He said he had met some of the affected families to understand the difficulties they faced following the incident.
Referring to the events of August 19, the MLA alleged that unidentified persons arrived in the area a few hours after KSU leaders had been arrested. He claimed that several of those who arrived were not in uniform, had covered their faces with masks and were not carrying visible identification.
He further alleged that the persons arrived in police vehicles, while residents could not ascertain whether all of them were police personnel. Nongrum said such incidents should not be repeated and called for corrective measures.
The MLA also questioned the late-night operation at the KSU office, which is located in a residential area. He said that if the police had information concerning the premises, appropriate procedures should have been followed while taking into account the presence of nearby households.
Nongrum expressed concern over the alleged impact of the operation on residents, particularly children and elderly persons, and said that the matter raised concerns relating to human rights. He maintained that a CBI inquiry was necessary to establish the truth and fix responsibility, if any violations were found.
He also questioned the deployment of police personnel during a KSU rally, asking why there was no police presence during the daytime event while police personnel were deployed around rallies organised by political parties. He further questioned the subsequent late-night police presence in residential areas where families were residing.
Nongrum said that any future incident affecting residents would require the Government to take responsibility and ensure adequate protection of the public.
The memorandum and supporting documents were also submitted to senior authorities, including the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Director General of Police, National Human Rights Commission and Meghalaya Human Rights Commission.
