Murderers of three government employees mustn't be let scot-free
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: February 18, 2009 -

In a repeat show of bestial brutality made thicker with layers of communal parochialism, some not-so-difficult-to-identify armed persons, using a hoe and rock, hacked and smashed to death three employees of the Government of Manipur, including a Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) posted at Kasom Khullen in Ukhrul district on Monday, February 16. Preliminary reports indicate that the three men, all from Imphal, were kidnapped by some armed persons from somewhere in Ukhrul head quarters four days ago.

It is suspected that the kidnappers hacked with a hoe and also smashed the heads of the three innocent men with a rock to death, and abandoned the lifeless bodies somewhere near Taphou Kuki village in Senapati district, probably to make it appear as though the beastly crime was committed by some people of the nearby areas. It's clear that the barbarians mercilessly murdered the three men in cold blood. As of the moment, the identities of the murderers and their motives of the ghastly act are not known, but it should not be difficult for the investigating authority to find out who the murderers are and why they committed the triple murder. In the meantime, the murderers and their cowardly act should be condemned in the strongest term by every sensible, right-thinking and peace-loving person of the state.

Such atrocity might have given egregious satisfaction of taking revenge (what other motive could there be?) to those remorseless murderers, but it will never do any good to them, their lives, their organisation and their cause, if there is any. The murderers may feel satisfied for some time which will be temporary, but in the long run, they will be the only losers. Once the realisation dawns on their narrow minds that they had done away with three innocent lives, then the automatic punishment will start tormenting them every moment of their lives, which they will be unable to bear.

It will be a far-fetched statement to say that the incident of triple murder will disturb the communal harmony and integrity of Manipur. Far from it. The people of Manipur have shown the world how tenacious their patience is, even in the face of the most volatile provocation. The people have peacefully endured a number of such challenges in the past. Massacres involving four to five, even more than ten persons of a particular community, had taken place in different parts of the state, understandably committed by one or other armed group based on ethnic line. Yet none of the incidents provoked the people to rise to snap the communal ties. The status quo will not be and can not be changed by the recent incident.

However, the incident of triple murder cannot be taken lightly. The state government must not remain in its usual self, instead rise to the call of the urgency and announce appropriate measures to deal with it immediately. The government must start, without a moment’s delay, a massive manhunt for the murderers and book them at the earliest. The murderers must be given the severest punishment as per law. What they committed was a crime not only against the three innocent lives but also the entire people of Manipur and the humanity itself. People of all communities, living together in this land for several thousand years, should in one voice condemn the barbaric act and make a united effort to identify and isolate the perpetrators from the mainstream.

Whosoever has any idea about the murderers and their whereabouts must pass the information to the police, though confidentially, so that police can book them. In the meantime, the state government also needs to take up all necessary precautions to prevent any incident that might pose a challenge to peace and tranquility of the state.