Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Road blocks being put to protest the killing of the three persons, rally being staged to decry the inhuman killing


A New Definition Of Barbaric Killing Invites 48 Hrs Gen Strik; Bandh Already Enforced In Ukhrul Kasom Khullen SDO, two subordinates found bludgeoned to death By Our Staff Reporter IMPHAL, Feb 17 : In an incident that was as gruesome and chilling and which gave a new definition to what is barbaric, the SDO of Kasom Khullen in Ukhrul district Dr Thingnam Kishan and two of his subordinate staff Aribam Rajen alias Amuba and another staff from the Revenue Dept, Yumnam Token were found brutally bludgeoned to death at Taphou Kuki village in Senapati district. A blood stained spade and an equally blood stained huge stone used to eliminate them were found as mute testimonies near the bodies today. As the bodies of the slain SDO, an MCS officer of the 2007 batch, and his two subordinates were brought to RIMS morgue hundreds of people congregated there to receive the bodies. Taking a serious view of the incident, the State Cabinet which met today afternoon has strongly condemned the barbaric killing and has decided to hand over the case to the CBI, said a reliable source while speaking to The Sangai Express. To compensate for disastrous deaths, the Cabinet has also decided to provide a job to the next of kins of the three killed Government employees, said the source and added that exgratia amount of Rs 10 lakhs would be paid to the family members of the murdered SDO while Rs 5 lakhs each would be provided to the families of the other two killed. The late 38 years young officer Dr Thingnam Kishan, born to Th Surendra, hailed from Nagamapal Kangjabi Leirak, while his driver Aribam Rajen alias Amuba son of Ibopishak hailed from Uripok Khoisnam Leikai. The employee from the Revenue Department, a Mondal, is identified as Yumnam Token (38) son of late Sudhir of Chingamathak Yumnam Leikai. Their bodies were recovered from near Lukhrabi bridge, Taphou Kuki village located about 7 Kms to the south of Senapati district headquarters today at about 7 am. As news of the dastardly killings spread, people of Uripok Khoisnam Leikai from where the driver hailed came staged a protest rally and blocked the Uripok-Kangchup road near the Flyover in the evening. A similar road block was also put up along the Imphal-Moreh route along NH-39 at Yumnam Leikai. To defuse the situation, IG (LO-I) M Karnajit and SSP of Imphal West rushed to the sites of the protests. To decry the killing, a JAC formed in connection with the brutal killing has imposed a 48 hour Statewide bandh with effect from 12 midnight today. The ACOAM Lup has also called for a 48 hour bandh from midnight today. The three slain persons were found dead with their hands tied behind with barbed wires and their heads smashed with a heavy object. A blood stained spade as well as a blood stained huge stone were found near the corpses. A brief case and an air bag containing documents and the ID card of the Revenue Dept employee of were also found near the bodies. DIG Range IV came to the morgue to oversee things. Speaking to the media, the wife of the late SDO said that her husband left for Ukhrul district headquarters on February 13 along with six employees in a Gypsy (MN04/5799) to attend a meeting convened by the Deputy Commissioner. The SDO reportedly told his wife that he would be back the next day (Feb 14). The bereaved wife further said that she received a call from the DC himself on February 13 noon that he came across the Gypsy at Siroy village along NH-150 and asked her for the mobile number of Kishan along with the driver’s so that he (DC) could tell them to come back. The wife of the young late officer added that since her husband did to return home till Sunday, the family made some inquiries and were told that he (Kishan) along with the occupants of the Gypsy were in the custody of the NSCN (IM). There was never any monetary demands or threats on the family, she maintained. The wife of the driver also narrated the same story as the wife of the SDO. Senapati police has registered a case in connection with the brutal murder, said the SP of the district NK Ujjwal. No arrests have been made so far, said the SP. On being contacted a senior officer of the Ukhrul police said that though the SDO and his men were abducted on February 13, no formal complaints were registered. Accordingly a report was registered in the general diary and search ops were started. Talking to newsmen the convenor of the JAC, Sapam Subhankar, which has imposed the 48 hour general strike said that the Government must produce the other three persons who were abducted along with the slain SDO. The other three are identified as Ramthing, Ramshing and Ngam-phakhui Zimik. Taking a very serious view of the situation, Chief Minister O Ibobi today convened a high level security meeting to discuss the law and order situation in the State. Among others, the Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), DGP GOC of 57 Mountain Division, IG AR (South) attended the meeting, said a reliable source while speaking to The Sangai Express. During the meeting the top brass of the security forces could not give any clue about the identities of of the killerd, said the source. In another development, the SDO of Tadubi has left his place of posting following and renewed threats, said the source.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

A security personnel keeps guard in a bunker at a border area


Sanitising Loktak Lake After Hovercrafts it is now armed speed boats By Our Staff Reporter IMPHAL, Feb 16 : After Hovercraft it is now armed speed boat to be utilised for flushing underground cadres from Loktak Lake and the surrounding areas. The decks have been cleared for the State police to be equipped with the state of the art armed speed boat used by the Coast Guard and the Army to flush out militants holed up in Loktak Lake and the surrounding areas. The new initiative has been taken up as sanitising Loktak Lake has become the top agenda of the State Government. Speaking to The Sangai Express a reliable source said that following a green signal from the Union Home Ministry the process of purchasing the speed boat has started to primarily flush out militants from Loktak Lake and the surrounding areas. Stating that a clear cut instruction was issued by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram during his recent visit to Imphal to take up all possible measures to rein in the militants, the source said that the State Government mooted the proposal of procuring the speed boats. During his visit here, the Union Home Minister was categorical in stating that extortions by militant groups need to be checked. To procure the speed boats, the State Government has despatched the SP of Bishnupur police K Jayenta and OC of Bishnupur police commando Sudhir to Kochi in Kerela to assess the speed boats, said the source. The speed boats will be assessed by the State police team as well as by personnel from the Coast Guard and the BSF, said the source and added that a minute study will be conducted to see whether the speed boat can be used on Loktak Lake. The State police team presently at Kochi along with officers from the Coast Guard and the BSF will also inspect three Hovercrafts. Each Hovercraft will have the capacity to seat 5 to 10 people. The source said that the decision to acquire the speed boats and the relatively smaller Hovercraft was taken because it will be more convenient at Loktak Lake. Towards acquiring the three Hovercrafts a meeting chaired by the Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta and attended by the State Additional Chief Secretary DS Poonia, DGP Y Joykumar and officers from the Water Wing of the BSF and Coast Guard was held at Delhi last month. To flush out militants from Loktak Lake as well as to save it from further degradation, the State Govern- ment has already finalised the recruitment process of the Loktak Lake Protection Force. Moreover five sites have been identified to station the personnel. The State Cabinet had also earlier instructed the DGP to open a Special Cell to check the activities of militants.