After closely observing the drama of this “botched-up arrest” the family members of the three arrested are at least glad that the Manipur police had not linked them with ISIS-K who were responsible for numerous bomb blasts and terrorist acts in Afghanistan, said KSO Sadar Hills general secretary Thangtinlen Haokip.
TFM Kangpokpi Representative
Kangpokpi civil society organisations on Sunday served an ultimatum of three days to release the trio arrested on October 25 in connection with B. Gamnom killing, which the family members have claimed their innocence.
The CSOs also cautioned the state government that if the trio is not released within the stipulated time, it will launch various forms of intense agitations from November 10.
Thangtinlen Haokip, general secretary KSO Sadar Hills on behalf of the CSOs Kangpokpi said that on October 25, three individuals Hentinseh Singsit, Seigoulun Singsit and Henminlun Misao were arrested by Imphal West police commandos and Assam Rifles and incriminated with the B. Gamnom firing incident that occurred on the October 12 leading to the death of three innocent civilians.
However, he said the truth is that the three individuals who were arrested were drug users and other psychedelic substances and they are not KNF-N cadres as alleged but innocent people who have no connection with the firing incident or the party in question while adding that the three of them were first handed over to Patsoi PS and were transferred to Porompat PS since Saturday.
He continued that Hentinseh is a known drug user from K. Phoipi, Motbung under Kangpokpi district and was kept in New Life Rehab Center at Imphal four months back while pointing out that during the time of the incident he was still in the center and came home on October 15 on leave.
He also pointed out that a team of the media and the family members visited the rehab center and met the officials and some of the inmates who confirmed that Hentinseh was in the rehab center till October 15.
“If Hentinseh is not a superman or superhero endowed with wings and can fly then the possibility of his involvement in the incident is impossible”, he added and said that the police should meticulously check whether he has got wings or not.
The KSO Sadar Hills general secretary also said that Seigoulun, who is also from K. Phoipi Motbung is a juvenile and an under-age born on November 14, 2003, and he is also a drug user but the police had written his age as 20 years while the arresting authority had failed to determine his age which is a total violation of human rights vis-a-vis Juvenile Justice Act and non-compliance of the provisions therein.
He appealed to the Child Welfare Committee to have a look at this lapse on the part of the concerned police officials.
He further said that last month the family of Seigoulun Singsit came to know that he was using drugs and heroin and they had decided to keep in a rehab center but due to financial problems we kept it on hold and he never move out from the village except in the early part of the year where he went to Tamei sub-division as a labor for the construction of a house.
He continued to narrate that on October 22 he told his mother that he will be joining a Bible Camp at Kangpokpi that was meant for drug addicts and left home but much to their surprise they came to learn of his arrest.
Henminlun is also on the same page with Hentinseh and Seigoulun and his innocence is also beyond doubt. Presently he is staying at Pangmol village near Motbung in a rented house with his family, he added.
He also said that if anyone has misgivings of our statements they can come and ask any person on the street of K Phoipi, Motbung and Pangmol village and find out the truth about their personalities and involvement in the said incident.
In spite of the knowledge that they are drug-dependent putting them in police custody and further remanded them for judicial custody is highly condemnable, asserted Thangtinlen Haokip.
“We have an inkling that the police have got a list of all those criminals involved in the B. Gamnom firing incident and not even one of them is said to figure in that list, then why are the trio being made a scapegoat and tortured for a crime that has nothing to do with them”, he asked.
He continued that if they are KNF-N cadres as claimed, it will be appreciated if the police department come out with evidence and put it in the public domain and to the family for scrutiny like when did they join the party, what are their aliases, belt or chest numbers and when did they took the oath or any photo evidence to corroborate their claims.
The truth is that these three have never set foot in B. Gamnom area and do not even know where it is and for the sake of truth and clarity why not send a team to B.Gamnom area and enquire from the locals whether they have ever seen them in the area, he added.
He further said that the botched-up arrest clearly shows that something definitely wrong with our intelligence apparatus while adding that why punished innocent people to cover up the incompetence and inefficiency of the concerned authorities whereas the real culprits are somewhere rubbing their hands in glee, rather let them go and find them instead of framing innocent people.
The CSOs of Kangpokpi appealed to the media fraternity to undertake investigative journalism and find out whether the police version is the fact or that of the family while urging to the CSOs of Manipur to look into the matter as this could create a bad precedent in the future if justice is not delivered to these three innocent civilians.
“Justice is becoming too expensive for poor people like us who are living from hand to mouth. If this had happened to the high and mighty, the bungling of the police could have been brought to light within two days but unfortunately, we do not have that kind of resources”, Thangtinlen added.
He continued that due to their arrest the families are being taunted, shamed, humiliated and traumatized by people who are not aware of the real truth.
So, it is our humble appeal to the concerned authority to review their case and release them within three days without any condition on humanitarian grounds, he added.
He further said that after closely observing the drama of this botched-up arrest the family members of the three arrested are at least glad that the Manipur police had not linked them with ISIS-K who were responsible for numerous bomb blasts and terrorist acts in Afghanistan.