Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 09 2009:
Union Cabinet Secretary KS Chandrasekhar has asked the State Government to furnish a detailed report on the incident of abduction and subsequent brutal murder of Kasom Khullen SDO Dr Th Kishan and his two subordinate staff by cadres of the NSCN (IM).
Disclosing this to The Sangai Express, an official source said the Union Cabinet Secretary has specifically sought a detailed report on the motive behind the brutal murder and the steps that have been taken up by the State Government in this regard so far.
Consequent to the directive of the Union Cabinet Secretary, the State Government has started preparing a report, the source added.
It may be noted here that the Chief Minister of the State had written to the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to prevail upon the Naga rebel group to hand over the armed cadres involved in the high profile killing from its custody to the law enforcing agencies of the State.
In the course of the ongoing peace talks, the Centre has also asked the leaders of the Naga rebel group not to allow its armed cadres to roam about or indulge in anti-social activities like killing, extortion and harassment of civilians.
On the other hand, police sources said that after registering the case by the Ukhrul district police, four persons including the driver of the Bolero used in the abduction have been arrested and sent to jail.
From the statements of the four persons, there is evidence that the NSCN (IM) had interrogated the self styled Lt Col Hopeson Ningshen who is said to be the mastermind of the triple murder and currently in the custody of the Naga rebel outfit.
In their statements, the four persons also maintained that during the interrogation of Dr Kishan they overheard the NSCN (IM) cadres asking Dr Kishan why he did not heed the warning given earlier, the police source added.
While Dr Kishan and his two staff were in the custody of NSCN (IM), some of the outfit's leader had communicated with the abductors over the phone, the source added.
Although the abductors allowed Dr Kishan, his two sub-ordinate staff and the driver to have a meal together, they were made to sleep separately at night, the police source said.
Meanwhile Ukhrul police said that the driver of the Bolero, Mahei Kasar, is from Khangkhui Khunou and not Nungshong as reported.