North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum on Monday formally demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into an alleged midnight police operation in the Jaiaw locality of Shillong on 19 August, accusing security personnel of excessive force, unlawful entry into residential areas, and violations of citizens' fundamental rights. The demand was submitted via a memorandum to Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Prestone Tynsong.

What the Memorandum Alleges

Nongrum's memorandum, which has also been forwarded to the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, and the National and State Human Rights Commissions, rests on a field report submitted by Seng Samla Jaiaw Pyllun (SSJP), a community organisation that claims its members were present during the operation.

According to the SSJP report, approximately 15 tear-gas shells were allegedly fired in a densely populated residential lane adjoining H. Gordon Roberts Hospital. The MLA claimed the operation triggered panic among residents and caused breathing difficulties, while raising serious concerns about the safety of patients in the adjacent medical facility.

Conduct of Personnel Under Scrutiny

Nongrum alleged that heavily armed personnel entered the locality at night with their faces covered and without visible nameplates, and reportedly failed to produce search warrants or any other legal notices before entering residential premises. He further alleged that video footage showed some personnel using abusive language and obscene gestures while confronting local youths.

The MLA also questioned the inconsistency in deployment, alleging that police presence was conspicuously inadequate during a daytime Black Flag Bike Rally on 19 August, while a large armed force was deployed hours later during the midnight operation — a sequencing he described as troubling.

Legal Framework Cited

Nongrum's memorandum cited provisions of the Meghalaya Police Act, 2010, and alleged violations of procedural safeguards laid down by the Supreme Court in the landmark D.K. Basu case, which governs arrests and custodial procedures. He argued that an internal departmental inquiry or a police-led Special Investigation Team (SIT) would lack credibility when the conduct of the law-enforcement machinery itself was under scrutiny — and only a CBI investigation could be considered independent and transparent.

Link to 2018 Them Iew Mawlong Unrest

Drawing a direct parallel, Nongrum invoked the 2018 Them Iew Mawlong unrest, alleging that residents had suffered serious injuries during police action at the time, including permanent disabilities. He claimed that victims from that episode were yet to receive adequate compensation or rehabilitation — and warned that history risked repeating itself if accountability mechanisms continued to be bypassed.

Warning and Next Steps

Nongrum warned that if the state government failed to act on the memorandum, he would approach higher legal and constitutional forums. His demands include a CBI investigation into the 19 August operation, compensation and rehabilitation for victims of the 2018 violence, and disciplinary action against personnel found guilty of misconduct. The allegations are expected to intensify the debate around police accountability, use of force, and civilian safeguards during law-and-order operations in Meghalaya.