Registering 62 cases of fake encounters : Infamous distinction
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: September 25, 2014 -

Infamous distinction. A distinction it is for Manipur has secured the second position in the country and infamous too for the roll of honour has been achieved in the field of fake encounters.

A record for which there is nothing to crow about.

According to a 2013 figures furnished by The Hindu, Manipur ranked second out of 20 States in fake encounter cases in the last four years with 62 such killings.

Telling statistics yet at the same time there is always the chance that the real story may not have been told especially in a place like Manipur where the Armed Forces Special Powers Act is in force.

The debate over the Armed Force Special Powers Act is endless and it is not without reason why there has emerged an Irom Chanu Sharmila who has been on a fast for more than ten years now demanding that the Act be withdrawn.

Leaving aside the debate over the Army Act and its pros and cons, it is however significant to note that the ranking or statistics given by The Hindu came along with the report on how the Supreme Court of India has taken note of the growing allegations of fake encounter cases in the country.

The observation of the Supreme Court concentrated more on police action and even its recommendations had to do with the police force leaving out the security forces such as the Army and Central para-military forces which enjoy the immunity granted by the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

To the lay man and the staunch crusader of human rights, this line of thought may appear artificial for who pulls the trigger or play havoc with the lives of the ordinary people should not be of much consequence, for ultimately it is about State agencies which have come under the impression that they can pull the trigger and kill as and when it pleases them.

Difficult to say whether the 62 cases of fake encounter killings recorded in the last four years pertained only to the State police or whether the Central security forces were involved too.

Whatever the case may be it is however disturbing to note that Manipur ranks right up there in the list of fake encounter killings.

Not something new for the Judiciary has demonstrated more than once that it is ready to pull up anyone who over step their limits.

The memory of the last time that the Supreme Court pulled up the State Government following cases filed by EEVFAM and other human rights defenders must still be fresh in the minds of quite a large number of people.

It was not for nothing that uncomfortable questions were posed and it was with good reason why the apex Court seemed to pull up the State Government for its seeming indifference to its directives.

Though the latest ruling from the Supreme Court did not come about from reports of cases filed with specific relations to Manipur, it should nonetheless warm the cockles of many heart.

Difficult to pen down all the cases of human rights abuses in the State, but the mass killings at Tonsen Lamkhai, the RIMS massacre, the Malom killings, the brutal murder of Thangjam Manorama are all cases which have gone on to underline the point that in many ways it is the State and its agencies which have been violating human rights.

Not exactly a licence to kill, but the manner in which the security forces have been riding rough shod over the sentiments of the common people should be more than enough indication that the armed agencies of the State have been given a certain kind of go ahead signal to bully the common denizens.

It is this which should be read into the ruling of the Supreme Court of India.

Time for the Government to wake up.