Imphal encounter fake, claim locals

Six youths were killed on Tuesday night by commandos. Local residents say they were innocent
Hardnews Bureau
　
Manipur was again rocked by extra-judicial killings of six youths. Four of the six men killed in the encounter have been identified. People claim that all of them were innocent, surviving on paltry jobs.

Manipur, under the draconian AFSPA is notorious for these encounters which are mostly perceived to be fake owing to lack of concrete evidence in the official version.
The recent incident happened late on Tuesday night around 10.30 pm when commandos gunned down six youth, two on a motor bike while four others were in a car at Awang Khunou Lamkhai along National Highway 53 in Imphal.

Four among the killed have been identified as Ngaseppam Danny, 27, a resident of Khwairakpam Leikai, his friend Kshetrimayum Govind, 28, of neighbouring Hodam Leirak in Imphal West, Md Tomba, 35, and Md Rahman, 38, both residents of Golapati in Imphal East. The bodies of the two unidentified youth have been kept at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal.

The official version says that two men on the motor bike and four others in a car fired on the police patrol when they were asked to stop. They were later killed in retaliatory firing by the commandoes. The police also claimed to have recovered an M16 rifle with 62 live rounds and three 9mm pistols from them. Reportedly, in complete contradiction, the families of the deceased claim that Danny and Govind were mobile recharge card hawkers, Tomba was a rickshawpuller and Rahman worked as a driver. While Danny and Govind were on a motorcycle, the other four were found dead inside a Tata Sumo. Both Danny and Govind had gone to collect money from the creditors to whom they sell the recharge cards. Locals claim that some shots were fired at the houses as well.

Residents of Hodam Leirak and Kwairakpam Leikai have formed a joint action committee to pressurise the government for a judicial probe into the incident. The All Manipur Rickshaw Drivers' and Pullers' Welfare Association is also reportedly chalking out a plans for protests against the killings.

Earlier, in a similar fashion, Ch. Sanjit and Rubina Devi were killed in an encounter on July 23 by the commandos. Tehelka had later published photographs showing that a calm and unarmed Sanjit was taken inside a pharmacy by the armed commandos who later emerged with his dead body. The incident incited the people of Imphal and the whole city was on a boil for several days.