AR man killed in Umathel ambush
Wrath falls on villagers, many hospitalised at RIMS hospital
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 01: At least one Rifleman of the 21 Assam Rifles posted at Kakching was killed while another sustained serious injuries when well-equipped PREPAK activists launched an ambush at Umathel under Waikhong Police Station at around 8.30 pm yesterday.

In the aftermath of the incident, Assam Rifles personnel went on the rampage and poured out their wrath on the people of Umathel Mathal Leikai and Makha Leikai.

The slain Rifleman has been identified as Motoba (Rifleman No.G-5000609 K) of Nagaland while the injured Rifleman is named Govind Singh (Rifleman no.S-358546K) of Rajasthan.

Claiming the responsibility for the ambush, a spokesperson of PREPAK said that the ambush was carried out by its Red Army cadres under CO-II.

The PRO of Assam Rifles in a statement said that the incident occurred after troops of 21 Assam Rifles launched a search operation in the general area of Hiyanglam yesterday night at about 9.40.

The bare torsos of the villagers give ample testimony of the harsh thrashings they received at the hands of the rampaging AR men

As the troops reached Umathel, they were fired upon by PREPAK cadres, said the PRO and added that in the ensuing gun fight a jawan passed away due to excessive bleeding.

In the exchange of gun fire two militants were also seriously injured, said the PRO and added that one blood soaked trouser was recovered from the site.

According to information culled from the site of the incident, troops of 21 Assam Rifles posted at Kakching were coming from Sugnu side in three vehicles with a bullet proof Gypsy in front when the UGs equipped with sophisticated weapons waylaid and ambushed the troop near Kakching Khunou College.

Talking to a media team from Imphal which had gone to the site of the incident this morning, Assam Rifles personnel, who were there already, informed that the troop was returning after an operation when suspected underground activists of PREPAK opened fire at them near the college gate.

The AR jawan who was travelling in the bullet proof Gypsy with his head stuck out atop was killed in the ambush and the vehicle suffered substantial damage. However, police source disclosed that another AR jawan was also injured in last night's attack.

The AR personnel further informed that the attackers laid the ambush along with triggering bombs from four directions with some of them hiding behind the gate of the college and bushes near the waiting shed.

AR personnel also retaliated and an exchange of firing lasted for almost 30 minutes.

One Nokia handset, one charger, 28 empty cartridges, 11 bullets, one calculator, one empty case of lethode bomb and Rs 105 in cash have been recovered while searching the places from where the UGs launched the attack.

After the firing ceased, incensed Assam Rifles personnel allegedly went inside every house of Umathel Mathak Leikai and Makha Leikai and herded off all the women at the college complete while all the men were thrashed.

Councillor of Umathel ward no.9 informed that on hearing the gun shots and bomb explosion, he along with other local residents gathered and remained lying on the mat inside the house.

However after the firing, three AR personnel came and barged into the house by breaking down the door and beat up two of his sons without giving any reasons right in front of his eyes.

One young woman who tried to intervene and stop the AR personnel from beating up his sons was also beaten up by the AR personnel with a club, he added.

When the media team arrived at the site of the incident at around 9 am today, apart from a large number of AR personnel and an ambulance and a mini Tata which bore the brunt of the ambush, no one was seen around.

It was only after the AR personnel left that a large number of womenfolk came out to meet the mediapersons as well as to search for the persons who had been picked up by the Assam Rifles personnel.

A woman shopkeeper of Umathel Bazar charged that the AR personnel ransacked her shop and took away costly cigarettes and other eatables.

But this morning, the AR personnel came again and made her family members to mend the damaged shop.

No one was allowed to go out from their houses and any person who were seen outside including the autorickshaw and bus drivers were beaten up indiscriminately.

Soon after the news of arrival of mediapersons spread, all the victims of the AR brutality who could not walk properly were brought out by their family members on cycles and rickshaws to show the injuries marks to mediapersons.

Afraid of the AR reprisals, the injured persons dare not go back to their respective houses and instead they are putting up with relatives in the neighbouring villages.

Most of them are also being given necessary treatment by one local doctor identified as Dr Th Shyamananda.

Dr Shyamananda informed that over 35 injured persons have been given medical treatment by him since last night.

An injured person who was found being given drip injection in the veranda of the doctor's house said he was dragged out from his house and taken to the college campus where the AR personnel beat him up with sticks and kicked with their boots.

In the follow up action of the ambush laid by the UGs, the AR personnel also reportedly beaten up chowkidar of the college as well as the principal and other lecturers of the college living in the area.

With exception to four teams of Thoubal Police Commandos, no one from Waikhong Police Station arrived at the spot of the incident till 1.30 pm today.

All the injured persons were brought and admitted to RIMS Hospital here for treatment this morning.

When the media team visited Kalikalok Maring village, located one and half km west of Umathel where AR personnel had also launched an operation from 1 am to 6 pm today as follow up action of the last night's ambush, mediapersons came across four injured men being carried on cycles by their relatives on their way to get medical help.

Four women were also allegedly beaten up by the security personnel in the village.