Imphal, November 05: Even as the counsels on behalf of Th Manorama and her family members argued that the Assam Rifles should be held responsible for all that happened to the woman while in their custody, the counsel of the Assam Rifles rejected all the allegations and came out with minute details of his argument.

Rejecting the allegations, the AR counsel, Colonel Prasad, categorically stated, "the allegations can survive only in imagination but not on facts as these have no factual basis".

Elaborating, the AR counsel said that Mano-rama was arrested because there was hard evidence that she was involved in various militant activities including IED blasts that resulted in the loss of lives of both innocents and security personnel.

At the time of arresting her, efforts were made to requisition the service of a woman police personnel, but no such personnel was available, he claimed.

The radio set and hand grenade seized from her house were properly reflected in the seizure memo and the document was also signed by Manorama, he added.

Manorama was taken from place to place and at about 5.30 am of July 11, and she conveyed that she wanted to ease herself.

Considering her gender and her dignity, she was left alone unattended at a distance, said the counsel and added that taking this advantage she tried to escape.

The personnel warned her to stop and opened fire in the air, but as she did not heed the warning, the personnel opened fire towards her legs which killed her, he argued.

The police was informed of the matter immediately and an FIR was lodged, added Colonel Prasad.

On the allegation of physical torture, the AR counsel argued that the inquest report did not reflect any signs of physical torture and none of the family members reported that Manorama was tortured or manhandled to any of the authority.

Coming to the contentious issue of rape, Colonel Prasad said that according to the second post mortem report, the hymen of the victim was found lacerated at 5-6 O'clock position due to bullet injuries and the remaining part of the hymen was intact and this finding per se, rules out any rape.

Out of the six undergarments examined, only the petticoat was found to have a few starchy patches, which turned out to be semen, said the AR counsel adding that the colour of the petticoat was recorded as red while it was sent to the Forensic lab.

However the colour of the petticoat changed to orange red when it reached the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, said the AR counsel and explained "there is a difference between reddish orange and red." Based on the colour of the petticoat, the AR counsel argued that the petticoat examined forensically was different from the one which was seized.

This rules out any rape theory, he added.

On the contention that no blood was spotted at the site where the body of Th Manorama was found, the AR counsel said that the relevant photograph (Exhibit-DX) showed the blood spots.

Spent cartridges were also not found as the police did not conduct a proper search, especially in the "area on and across the road towards the hill side and across the hedge".

Colonel Prasad prayed before the panel that all the witnesses who deposed falsely under oath and tried to mislead the Commission be brought to trial to answer for their criminality.

Comment