Heirok youths found dead
JAC cries 'Justice'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 12: Including the two youths reportedly abducted from Heirok Part-II laimayum Leikai on March 30 night, three persons were murdered at Mongpijang village, under Saparmeina police station.

As information of the Heirok duo's killing spread, infuriated people of Heirok area assembled at the Chief Minister's official bungalow late in the afternoon and attempted to barge through the CM's gate forcing the police to baton charge and fire tear-gas shells to disperse the mob.

Anguished people, including mothers of the land protest against the murder of the Heirok youths near the CM's bungalow

According to sources, the bodies of the three youths were detected this morning by a team of 14 Assam Rifles lying besides a canal along NH-39 and about three kilometres south of Saparmeina police station.

It may be mentioned that people of Heirok area had claimed that the two youths were abducted by unidentified gunmen who came in a Tata Sumo.

The two victims from heirok are identified as Huidrom Arunkumar alias Moba (26) son of H Ningthem of Heirok Part-II Laishram Leikai and Laishram Thouba (23) son of Gopa of Heirok.

While the identity of the third victim is yet to established, the three bodies have been retrieved by Saparmeina police personnel and brought to RIMS morgue.

Injury marks apparently caused by strangulation could be detected on the bodies of the victims.

Even though two of the victims had gone missing for nearly a fortnight, the bodies were not found in a decomposed state leading to speculation that they might have been killed only recently.

during the police crackdown at the CM's gate the father and younger brother of late Arunkumar sustained injuries.

After being dispersed from the CM's gate, the protestors reassembled along the Kangla Pat pavement and raised slogans slamming the inefficiency of the Government machinery for causing the deaths and demanded arrest/punishment of those involved in the killing.

Later in the evening, representatives of the JAC formed in connection with the disappearance of the duo were invited for talks with the Chief Minister.

However, consensus could not be arrived at during the meeting as the JAC team expressed dissatisfaction with the State Government's insistence that they take back the bodies and that efforts would be made to find the guilty.

The JAC team is informed to have declined to claim the bodies.

Further course of action, if any, on the matter is being deliberated upon by the JAC in a hurriedly convened meeting.

Meanwhile, taking grim note of the killings, Manipur Forward Youth Front (MAFYF) contended that the Heirok duo were arrested by some Hindi speaking non-Manipuris while they were heading for a Thabal Chongba programme on the fateful night.

While dubbing the police crackdown as an act of cowardice, MAFYF also pledged support to any future course of movement initiated by the JAC.

Found dead : A man likely to be in his 50s was found dead at a paddy field at Noibol Khunou, located about eight kilometres south-west of Nambol police station, at around 10 am today.

The victim, whose body has been brought to RIMS morgue, was found wearing a Lugun (A tulsi string and sacred thread worn from the the neck, stretching down to the waist through the shoulder.) A 4 litre fuel (petrol) slip of Bakliwal Enterprises dated April 11 was also recovered from the victim.