Shillong, June 18:The high-end Alaya Cafe & Bar in Lumsohphoh, Laitumkhrah, where the 22-year-old Prinomi Hajong worked as a bartender, is not far from the place below where her body and that of her friend Simanta Hajong were found in sitting positions, and ropes tied around their necks.
The incident was in the early hours of Sunday (June 14).
The bar is on the fifth floor of the building, and a walk from the footpath leads to the place where the bodies were found.
The electrical shop where the male victim Simanta worked is on the other side of the road in Nongthymmai.
The bodies were found dumped at the open entrance of a make-shift shop close to the footpath, raising suspicion regarding the nature of death.
As the owner of the bar and the electric shop is the same, he knew both the victims.
The bar was launched only in May this year.
During a visit to the bar on Thursday (June 18) evening, the staff refused to divulge any information about the victim who worked late at night on Saturday (June 13) and went out never to return.
While a few staff refused to provide more information, they admitted knowing the victim, who worked as a bartender, whereas many others claimed that they were new to the place.
They were also not ready to give the phone number and other details of the owner of the bar.
The bar manager, who knew about the victim, ignored further queries, and a bouncer came to help him.
They claimed that a statement was already given to the press, which, however, was not made available when asked to share.
Though the deadline to close the bar is 10 pm, the business goes beyond as the place is frequented by VIPs and high-end customers.
For the police, passing it off as a suicide case will reduce the burden of quizzing all who are connected to the incident to unravel the mystery.
The police are collecting CCTV footage from more areas nearby under pressure after a candlelight protest was organised on June 16 by the Hajong community leaders.
When journalists asked on Thursday ( June 18), Deputy Chief Minister in charge of the home department Prestone Tynsong said that the police investigation was on regarding the matter.
