Guwahati, Jun 7: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday requested his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma to conduct a “fair and impartial inquiry” by a senior police officer into the death of a 25-year-old woman in a road mishap in the hill state earlier this week.
He said that the bereaved family of Assam’s Golaghat native has raised concerns regarding the accident and urged Sangma to ensure that all facts surrounding it are brought to light.
The victim, Namrata Bora, who worked in Guwahati, had purportedly gone on a drive towards Shillong with her friends in the early hours on Wednesday, but they decided to return midway.
Their car met with an accident in Shangbangla area of Ri Bhoi district when it was hit by another vehicle while trying to overtake a stationary truck.
Namrata succumbed to her injuries at Nongpoh Civil Hospital, where she was taken, while the other four passengers escaped with minor injuries.
“I request Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri @SangmaConrad, to kindly look into a tragic incident that occurred near Nongpoh Police Station in the early hours of Wednesday, June 4,” Sarma said in a post on X.
“A vehicle bearing Assam registration number AS 01 EV 9578 met with an accident, resulting in the unfortunate death of a young woman, Namrata Bora, while four other co-passengers sustained only minor injuries,” he said, adding that a case has been registered at Nongpoh Police Station.
“However, in view of the concerns raised by the bereaved family and well-wishers, I request that a fair and impartial enquiry be conducted by a senior police officer to ensure that all facts surrounding the incident are brought to light,” the chief minister added.
The Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Saturday said instructions have been given for a fair and impartial inquiry into the incident.
Replying to Himanta’s post on X, the Meghalaya CM also said on X, “@himantabiswa I have given instructions to ensure the same.”
Namrata’s father had been questioning the circumstances surrounding her death and has demanded an investigation into the accident.
“I am in a very disturbed state of mind. My only plea is that she should get justice and I have full faith in the justice system. I request our chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to conduct a thorough inquiry,” he told reporters at his Golaghat residence after performing rituals in memory of Namrata on Friday.
The survivors of the accident had initially stated before Ri Bhoi police that there were six people in the car, including Namrata, and a driver.
However, they later retracted the statement and said that there were five persons in the car with one of them, who is the son of an Assam AIUDF MLA, driving it. They claimed of making the false initial statement out of fear.
A video had also emerged on social media, purportedly taken inside the car, which accounted for five persons inside it, with the MLA’s son at the wheel. (PTI)
