Imphal, July 10: Amid conflicting contention pastor of Saichang village under Saikul sub-division of senapati district was found mysteriously buried at a hill range about five kilometres from Nongpok Keithelmanbi.

The hill is located near S Bongyang village.

The bullet riddled body was dugout by the villagers accompanied by Yairipok police station personnel and post mortem conducted on the corpse.

Bullet shots were found at the right temple, chest and arm.

While the villagers alleged that the pastor was killed and later buried by Assam Rifles personnel, Yairipok police informed that investigation are being conducted to identify the killers and circumstances leading to the pastor�s death.

The deceased pastor has been identified as Jamkholet Khongsai (60).Even though the site where the body was recovered falls under Senapati district it comes under the jurisdiction of Yairipok police station whose personnel on being informed by the villagers reached for the location today morning.

With the Yairipok police registering a case on the matter the body was taken to Thoubal police station for post mortem.

According to Saichang villagers whereabouts of Jamkholet could not be known after he left home on July 8 morning to attend his field.

As he failed to return home till late evening that day the villagers proceeded towards the field where they came across the basket carried by him and a spade not belonging to the pastor.

A few yards up the hills the villagers found a spot with loose soil scattered with grass and leaves over it.

As they ploughed through the grass and leaves the body of Jamkholet was found and soon after the villagers reported the matter at the Yairipok police station who insisted on further search at daybreak that ultimately resulted in recovery of the body yesterday.

Villagers near the site where the pastor�s body was found reported hearing some gun shots at around 10 am on the day Jamkholet left home for the last time (July 8).Informing that there is no motorable road at the hill range the villagers also witnessed Assam Rifles troopers leaving their vehicles at the foothill and marching up the hills on the same morning.

The villagers also strongly claimed that the AR men asked for a spade that could most probably had been used to dig and bury Jamkholet.

As Jamkholet was slightly deaf the AR might have resorted to firing as the warning to stop might have eluded the pastor, speculated the villagers.

They further claimed that nearby bushes were trampled upon and several boot marks found near the site where the body was recovered.

The villagers also expressed condemned the AR action even though they (AR) might have accidentally fired the shots.

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