Kongkan killing: Protest march staged, families refuse to take bodies
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Pamreiso Shimray
Ukhrul, December 29 2012:
In protest against the killing of two Kongkan villagers, Tangkhul civil societies staged a public rally at Kamjong on Saturday afternoon and vehemently condemned the inhuman attack on innocent civilians by armed cadres of a UG group.
A day after two innocent villagers were gunned down while going for hunting in a nearby jungle of Kongkan village, the Tangkhul organisations led by frontal bodies including Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), Tangkhul Naga Wungnao Long (TNWL), Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS), Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long (TMNL) and Zingsho Longphang among others organised a public meeting and staged a protest march in Kamjong town.
Hundreds of people from the Kamjong areas, the eastern border town of Ukhrul district situated 120km from Imphal, took part wielding placards and shouting slogans against the blatant killing of two innocent villagers.
This afternoon, public had resolved to take the bodies to Ukhrul on Sunday for protest march.
Family members have also refused to take back the mortal remains unless there are certain Government assurances.
Meanwhile, Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong and Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long have jointly decided to convene a public meeting at Ukhrul's town hall at 1pm tomorrow.
Raizan Katamnao Long president Awor Shimray said that a memorandum will be submitted to the Union Home Minister placing certain demands in the next few days.
The details of charter of demands were, however, yet to be made public.
Locals said police arrived at the spot at around 1am today and the bodies are presently being kept at Kamjong Chassad police station.
The deceased were identified as K.Kumar (56) son of (L) K Horhai and K.Ramshang (38), son of K.Ramyo.
As the region is dominated by a non-tribal UG group, a reliable report stated that a troop of NSCN (IM) cadres assisted police and Assam Rifles to retrieve the dead bodies from the incident site.
Locals said the 20 NSCN cadres first reached the spot followed by police and Assam Rifle personnel.
It may be recalled that on Friday morning, four of them went on a hunting trip for New Year feast along with four dogs at around 10am and the incident occurred at 4pm.Reports received late this evening stated that a team of medical experts have been dispatched to Kamjong from Imphal to conduct an autopsy of the bodies.