A 32-year-old truck driver transporting cattle was shot dead by the Border Security Force in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills on Sunday, PTI reported.
Roning Nongkynrih was killed when BSF personnel guarding a check post in Mawshun village opened fire on his truck. The village is around 17 km from the India-Bangladesh border.
The accused personnel claimed that they fired in self-defence as they feared the truck would run them over. However, the deceased’s cousin’s brother, Ribalskhem Nongkynrih, who was also in the truck, alleged that the BSF officers fired from point-blank range.
Meghalaya Frontier BSF Inspector General Pradip Kumar said that an inquiry has been ordered into the incident.
“We will ascertain the facts of the case,” he said, according to PTI. “The three personnel involved in the incident have been withdrawn from the location and are on their way back to the frontier headquarters in Shillong.”
East Khasi Hills district Superintendent of Police S Nongtnger said that a case under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Pynursla Police Station, reported PTI.
“It is an unfortunate incident,” he said. “We have taken up the matter with utmost seriousness.”
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