Kom villager shot dead
Koms oppose bid to assimilate them into other tribe
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 26 2009: A former village chief was brutally shot dead by two armed miscreants in front of his wife and sister by dragging him out of his bed at Thayong village under Lamlai police station in Imphal East district last night.

In response to villagers' demand, Chief Minister O Ibobi has assured of opening a security post manned by state force personnel within the next few days at an appropriate place at the village.

The former village chief, R Reyamkhup Kom (52) was shot dead by the two armed miscreants at about 11 pm last night.

He was working as an assistant teacher at Thayong UJB School.

Kom people taking out a procession condemning murder of a former village chief

His wife, Thangmei told media persons that around 11 pm last night when all family members had fallen asleep, somebody knocked the front door.

Before the family members could open the door, they broke down the door, and two unknown persons, one with a big gun and another with a small gun entered the house and asked for her husband.

The two miscreants, who spoke Kuki dialect, asked for her husband.

Despite her reply that he was not at home, they forcibly entered the bed room of Reyamkhup and dragged him out from his bed outside the house.

She and her sister-in-law followed them in the darkness pleading with them to leave him behind.

Saying that they were going to hold a meeting with the village chief, the two miscreants asked them not to follow.

One of them identified himself as the brother of one Lalun.

Thangmei further said that she insisted them on leaving her husband safe and allow her to go with them.

While they were talking, one of the miscreants shot at her husband.

When she rushed to her husband lying on the ground, they once again shot him, and left the place in hurry while firing in the air, she cried.

State Health and Family Welfare Minister, Ph Parijat, who arrived at RIMS morgue, tried to console the bereaved family.

He strongly condemned the dastardly murder.

"We condemn the killing of an innocent man, that too in front of his own family.

The government will investigate the killing to find out if any of the militant outfits maintaining ceasefire with the government under Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement is involved," Parijat said.

He also assured of all kinds of assistance that can be provided to the family.

The family will be compensated as a government employee.

Angry over the murder of the former village chief, around 200 villagers, who turned up at RIMS morgue to receive the dead body, marched toward the Chief Minister's office to lodge a complaint with the CM.

Police blocked the villagers at Uripok Bachaspati Leikai not far from the RIMS morgue where the rally originated and allowed only five representatives to proceed with them and submit memorandum to the Chief Minister.

In the memorandum prepared by the JAC, formed in connection with the killing, alleged Kuki outfits maintaining Suspension of Operation are harassing and torturing Komrem people and even killing them mentioning various instances such incidents in the recent time.

In the meeting held late night, Chief Minister O Ibobi assured of opening of a post of the state security force within the next two days, adequate compensation as provision of the government and investigation into the case to know whether militants under SoO involved in the murder.

Ibobi also assured of giving instruction to SP Imphal east district police to investigate into the matter.