One villager allegedly killed by Assam Rifles at Chalwa village
Alleged violation of human rights by armed forces in hill districts of Manipur resurfaced again after post Commander of 44 Assam Rifles E Coy, Gelnel village (Banglabung) outpost, allegedly killed a villager at Chalwa village on Friday night, sources said.
It was reported that post Commander Major Alok Sathe of 44 AR E Coy, Gelnel village (Banglabung) outpost with his jawan rifleman Amar and two others in civies and in a civil vehicle with service weapons carried out an operation at Chalwa village Friday night at around 9 pm.
As per sources, the victim, Mangboilal Lhouvum was first made to drink alcohol allegedly by the AR team which had detained him. He was brought onto the roadside and lethally fired upon allegedly by Major Alok Sathe. He was carried to PHC T Waichong village with critical condition but the doctor referred him to District Hospital Kangpokpi since no proper medical facility is available at the PHC for further treatment. He succumbed to his injuries before reaching Kangpokpi near Chawangkining.
Late Mangboilal Lhouvum, son of Sehlam Lhouvum, is survived by his wife Neikhochong Lhouvum and four children. He was the sole bread earner of the family by working as a helper of one truck (Shaktiman) driver.
It has been also alleged that Major Alok Sathe roamed freely with his service weapon in civil dresses and collected information for his own benefits for a month.
The 44 AR E Coy outpost Gelnel village (Banglabung) is located at around 45 km away from Kangpokpi district headquarters. Chalwa village is located at around 55 km from the district headquarters while the distance between 44 AR E Coy outpost at Gelnel village (Banglabung) and Chalwa village is around 10 km.
Following the alleged murder, an enrage mob, including men and women in Twilang area stormed the 44 AR outpost at Gelnel village (Banglabung) and torched one four-wheeler (Gypsy) and one truck (407 Tata) of the Assam Rifles. In the morning, it was found that two AK rifles of the Assam Rifles inside the Gypsy were also burnt down reportedly during the arson.
The civil bodies of Kangpokpi district under the aegis of Kuki Inpi immediately rushed to the spot and took stock of the situation. However, tensions erupted once again after the civil police allegedly refused to arrest the alleged murderer of Mangboilal Lhouvum.
General secretary, Kuki Inpi Kangpokpi district, Thangminlen Kipgen said that the AR high authority claimed the Major cannot be arrested because there is AFSPA and he is a central government employee apart from being an Army officer. But the fact is Major Alok Sathe arrived in a civilian dress with his four men for his personal work and not on duty, brandishing their service weapons, he said. He snatched away the life of an innocent man, a father of four children and a husband of an innocent wife, he added.
He continued that an army officer in civil clothes, coming out on a mission in a civil vehicle appeared to the people to be a premeditated act.
“Major Alok shot me” was the last words of deceased Mangboilal Lhouvum before he succumbed to his injuries, Thangminlen Kipgen said, while adding that after the firing the victim was alive for three-four hours but unfortunately passed away.
“It was the deceased’s personal testimony virtually recorded that he was shot by Major Alok of 44 AR Gelnel Banglabung outpost,” he added.
Speaking to the media in Kangpokpi, the deceased’s wife Neikhochong Lhouvum “We went for work and returned in the afternoon and after having food, he went out to visit their neighbour’s house.”
“After a gunshot was heard, I was informed that my husband was lying injured on the road. I rushed to the spot only to find him grievously wounded,” she added.
The young mother also said that her husband has no connection with any militant outfit, whatsoever. “He was the sole bread earner of the family. I want justice,” she demanded,
After a heated confrontation, Kangpokpi police led by additional SP (Ops) and OC Chalwa Police Station took the AR major into their custody and brought him down to Kangpokpi Police Station.
Meanwhile, it was reported that talks over the alleged killing of Mangboilal Lhouvum will be held in the presence of commander 22 Sector Assam Rifles Brigadier Arora, local MLA, and the civil bodies.
The body of Mangboilal Lhouvum has been kept at RIMS Morgue for post mortem by Kangpokpi police this morning. However, the civil voluntary organisations have resolved not to claim the body unless the issue has been solved. Various Kuki civil bodies, including the Thadou Students’ Association (TSA), Kangpokpi local bodies and others strongly condemned the alleged killing of Mangboilal.
Other story (not confirmed)
There is a village called Chalwa in the IT road, where Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) has its hold.
A new finance Secy of KRA has recently posted in Chalwa. He was responsible for tax collection/extortion in the same road.
There main target at present is the FCI food distribution trucks (Covid relief).
To find out the identity of the new finance Secy, Maj Alok formed a team of 4 and went to this village posing as FCI Contractor.
Two local jawans were in plain cloths without wpn, who were interacting with Three persons(one deceased and two others). They were having a drink together.
Maj Alok was not in the scene.
When Maj Alok called them up, they noticed over the phone his name, and they came to know that the two indls were fauji.
Knowing their identity, they catch hold of one of them. The second managed to escaped.
Three of them started beating up the one jawan who was left behind.
The escaped jawan called for Maj Alok and one more jawan, who were in possession of wpns.
Upon reaching the location, what they observed is two of them were holding the jawan and the third one was putting pistol in his mouth.
Seeing Maj Alok coming, they cocked the pistol, which was already in that jawans mouth.
The other jawan with Alok reacted.
