Imphal, April 05: The proscribed Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) and its armed wing the Peoples' Liberation Army (PLA) have offered revolutionary salutes to Sgt Maj Roshan alias Nongmaithem Premjit s/o Nongmaithem Memma of Lairenkabi Maning Leikai.

A statement issued by the outfit's chief of the Department of Communication and Publicity N Wangba asserted that Roshan was first severely tortured by a team of Manipur Police after he was taken into custody.

Sgt Maj Roshan was interrogated in third degree during which his limbs were smashed before he was done to death with a heavy iron rod even as Manipur Police claimed that Roshan was killed in an encounter, contended Wangba.

Reacting to the claim of the police that a weapon was recovered from Roshan, the outfit clarified that no weapon was with the RPF cadre on the day.

Noting that such false propaganda has become a custom of security forces, RPF asserted that all these anti-revolutionary elements will one day bow before PLA.

Since 1996, Roshan has been a dedicated revolutionary, said the outfit.

Even though he fell into the hands of security forces on more than one occasion, he never lost his conviction.

"With a burning desire to restore the lost freedom of Manipur, I joined the PLA with full faith in the ideal principle of the outfit " wrote Sgt Maj Roshan in his own handwriting.

Roshan was also signal operator of the PLA before he joined the staff of Central Bureau Secretary.

At the time of his death, Roshan was Secretary in-charge of Central Bureau, Division No 2.Late Captain Simpson alias Mangal was his (Roshan's) role model.

Simpson's cool and courteous nature and his ability to identify himself with the mass impressed Roshan and he looked upto him (Simpson) as his model revolutionary.

This was written by Roshan himself, disclosed Wangba.

In his long revolutionary struggle for 12 years, Roshan never committed any error.

He joined the revolutionary movement at the young age of 18 years.

The death of a revolutionary like Roshan who could identify himself with the mass is a big loss not only to the RPF but also to all the people of Manipur, Wangba noted. Conveying heartfelt condolence at the death of Sgt Maj Roshan, the outfit also shared the pain and grief being endured by the bereaved family and the people of Manipur, concluded Wangba.

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