Hmar youth murdered at Mizoram
Source: The Sangai Express / NNN

Imphal, April 21: Isaac L Hmar, who also calls himself Isaac L Intoate, was found dead last evening after he went missing from Ramhlun Venglai locality in Aizawl on April 18, according to reports.

He was the information secretary of the Hmar Inpui (Hmar Main House) which is an umbrella association for all Hmar people.

Isaac Hmar was also a regular contributor to The Sangai Express writing a number of articles.

Police sources said a missing person report was lodged with the Bawngkawn police yesterday after friends failed to locate the man after he was called out of a friend's house on Tuesday night at around 7.Isaac (37), who is from Imphal and the son of a noted professor from Manipur University Prof Laldena, had come to Mizoram where he had started a business of making carbon from charcoal, said the reports.

Having purchased a land in Bairabi village area for his business, he had come to Aizawl on April 14 and had taken experts to see his project in Bairabi.

Having bought a ticket to Imphal for April 19, he had decided to stay with a friend, Gabriel Famhoihte, on Tuesday night as his friend was to travel to Kolkata on the same day and he could be sharing his car to get to the airport, added the reports.

A file Photo of Isaac L Hmar

However, as they began to sit down for their evening meal at around 7 pm on April 18, Isaac was asked in the Hmar dialect to come outside for a minute at which he went outside wearing only shorts and slippers.

He was never seen alive again after this, said the reports.

Police today said they still had no clue as to who could have killed him but have not ruled out the involvement of insurgents.

"We still do not have any clue as to the identity of the man who called out Isaac.

We are exploring all possible avenues to shed some light on the murder and have not ruled out the involvement of cadres from insurgent groups," Aizawl district SP LT Hrangchal said today.

Isaac's body was found last evening just before dark at Beraw Tlang by Nepalis gathering cattle fodder.

When the police arrived at the scene, they found that the murder victim had been blindfolded by his own shirt and clubbed with a wood at the back of his head.

Meanwhile the Hmar community of the State has strongly condemned the murder of Issac.

Family members, relatives, friends of the deceased youth and members of Hmar Inpui, an apex body of Hmar communities of the State and Hmar Students' Association (HSA) received the body at Imphal Airport.

The body is being kept at the official residence of his father located inside the Manipur University complex for the last rites to be performed tomorrow.

Talking to The Sangai Express, bereaved father, Prof Lal Dena said his son had left Imphal for Aizwal on April 12 to supervise on his newly launched project called Zouram Carbon at Bairabi at the outskirts of Aizwal.

Subsequently, his son along with one Banerjee, a technical expert from Delhi conducted an inspection of the project site till Thursday.

''I was shocked to hear the news.

He was a good child and never create any trouble with anybody.

I'm in the dark on the motive behind the horrendous crime', heartbroken father, who teaches History in Manipur University said.

The Mizoram Government should do all the needful to find out the culprits and punish them accordingly, he added.

Meanwhile Hmar Students' Association, GHQs has strongly condemned the murder of Issac and also urged the Mizoram Government to make all out efforts in booking the culprits.

The Association also shared the grief and sorrow of the bereaved family.

While condemning the murder, HSA Imphal Unit described Issac as a dedicated Hmar activist who worked in different capacities for the betterment of Hmar community.

Imphal Branch of Hmar Inpui said there is no meaning in calling Mizoram a peaceful State when such brutal murder takes place in the heart of capital Aizwal.

A research scholar in history in Manipur University, Issac, a bachelor, was working in the capacity of secretary of Information Department of Hmar Inpui as well as editor of promotion and public Relations of Mannashe Yearbook.