Imphal, December 29 2009: Bongbal Kholen Village Authority, Sadar Hills East, Senapati district has accused the United Committee, Manipur (UCM) of supporting the Nongbrang villagers over the December 22 incident that two lynched two youths.

The Bongbal Kholen Village Authority in a statement today strongly condemned the "unreasonable, baseless and shameful intervention" of the UCM and demanded that the latter Committee comes up with the true pictures over the incident which should be unbiased.

Two Kuki youths were lynched by Nongbrang villagers accusing them as underground elements.

The Authority while clarifying that the two deceased, Paosat Kipgen and his friend Paolelal Chongloi were innocent civilians stated that they were heading to their village for celebrating Christmas.

Paosat Kipgen and his family were the resident of the Bongbal Kholen Village and subsequently shifted to Shillong temporarily as his father was serving as an Indian Army personnel who is retired currently.

The incident had occurred when Paosat Kipgen was talking over the mobile phone with his father at Nongbrang village.

Both vicitms were the executive members of KSO, Shillong branch, as a secretary of art and culture and secretary of games and sports respectively.

The former was a passed-out of Goodwill College, Shillong while the latter had just completed M.Com under NEHU in Shillong.

The village authority also accused the Nongbrang villagers of an attempt of murder of one Khaisat Hoakip, s/o Lamkai Haokip on the same day.

After committing the crime, they rushed to Nongpok Keithelmanbi and tortured one Khaisat Hoakip.

He was rescued by some Keithelmanbi villagers.

Demanding the punishment and replacement of the 6th Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) in order to restore peace and maintain security in the village,the village authority stated to replace the 6th IRB with other para military forces such as Border Security Force (BSF)/Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

They criticized the 6th IRB for firing upon the civilians of Bongbal village who had come to rescue Khaisat Hoakip on receiving the information that the former had been arrested.

The village authority also maintained that the civilians who had come to rescue Khaisat Haokip were unaware of the actual incident occurred at Nongbrang village.

Comment