Meghalaya to pay Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia to family of 2 minors ‘killed’ by father

Guwahati, June 20: The Meghalaya Assembly Committee on Empowerment of Women (MACEW) informed that the State Government will pay an ex-gratia payment to the tune of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the two minors who were allegedly killed by their father, Joefreeson Jana on the night of May 30 last.

The Director General of Police (DGP) Lajja Ram Bishnoi, Chairperson of Meghalaya State Women Commission (MSCW), Phidalia Toi and Chairperson of Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR), Iamonlang M Syiem on Monday deposed before the assembly committee in connection with the May 30 filicide case that has rocked the state.

The MACEW chairperson, Ampareen Lyngdoh said that they had been informed that the Social Welfare department was processing the ex-gratia payment to be given to the family members.

"We hope that this will happen quickly and it will help the family to get the best of lawyers to fight this case in the court," Lyngdoh said.

Stating that the committee is concerned about this heinous crime, she informed that the committee felt that it was now necessary for the police, MSWC and MSCPCR to sit and discuss all details regarding domestic violence and registering of complaints by the mother of the two minors.

As far as the status of action taken report by the police, Lyngdoh said that they had left it to the two commissions to have their discussion and to get back with the report to the committee.