Imphal, January 24: The judicial instituted inquiry to probe the facts and circumstances leading to the death of retired teacher LD Rengtuiwan of Bungte Chiru Village on November 16, 2004 has begun examining witnesses on the matter.

Personnel of 28 Assam Rifles allegedly killed the retired teacher and injured his wife during the raid.

Two out of the three villagers who were allegedly bashed up by the AR personnel on that day gave their testimonies before the probe panel headed by C Upendra, retired Dist and Sessions Judge.

The witnesses are D William (45) and Bungchoichon alias MS Stephen Chiru of Bungte Chiru village under Bishnupur Dist.

Testifying before the panel, William said on November 16, 2004 around 9 pm two armed men in military uniform forced their way into his room after breaking the doors of his house and began bashing him up without spelling out any reason.

Being woken up by the sound of the beatings, William's wife jumped out the bed and questioned the armed men whether they were UGs or army personnel.

However the two armed person kept mum and continued thrashing him.

He was further dragged out of the house and was surrounded by around 20 armed persons in military uniform and later taken to the house of one MS Warchung Chiru of the same village and found two villagers Bungchoichung and Warchung lying on the ground.

After about 10 minutes, he heard gun shots on the southern side of the compound, William said and added that the armed persons immediately ordered him and his family members of Warchung to go inside the house.

The armed persons then locked the door of Warchung from outside, William said.

The door was finally opened by one villager identified as LD Kungpa about 20 minutes after the armed person left the scene.

Later he returned to his own house from where he was brought to a doctor for treatment at Keinou village.

Although he was advised to go to RIMS Hospital for further treatment he failed to so, on account of financial problems.

He further informed that he came to know of LD Rengtuiwan (80) death and bullet injury of the deceased man's wife only in the morning from the neighbours.

The probe panel also examined Bungchoichon.

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