They found out that the arrest memo signed by Thokchom Jitendro Singh, Sub Inspector of Imphal Police Station, neither mentioned the reason of arrest nor the date and time of the arrest. There was also no signature of any witness in the memo, they added.
TFM Desk
Three Manipur-based human rights bodies on Friday sought Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC)’s intervention on the custodial torture and death of 37-year-old Arambam Nanao son of (late) Arambam Dhananjoy, of Sagolbang Kangabam Leikai, Imphal on 2 May 2022.
Drawing the attention of the MHRC Chairperson, a representation signed by CSCHR co-convenor Joy Chingakham, EEVEAM president Renu Takhellambam, HRA executive director Babloo Loitongbam said a team of Civil Society Coalition for Human Rights in India and the United Nations (CSCHR) has conducted the fact finding by making a solidarity visit the aggrieved family on 4 May 2022.
The deceased Nanao is survived by his wife Arambam ongbi Meisnam Teresa (29 years) and three minor sons, it said.
The representation stated that on the morning of 2 May 2022, at around 9.00 AM, even as he went out of his house, some plainclothesmen loitering outside his residence overpowered him, pushed him inside a white parking car and whisked him away. One of the youngman who was pulling off in a white Activa scooter told his mother Arambam ongbi Kombirei, who was walking behind him and who was an eyewitness the whole event, that they are the police team of SI Jitendro Singh of Imphal Police Station, it added.
The rights bodies informed that the family members gathered and went to the Police Station at around 10.00 AM. They waited for SI Jitendro. Jitendro came out of the police station at around 1.30 PM and told the family members to arrange a sum of rupees five lakhs to secure the release of Nanao,
The family members demanded to see Nanao and he was brought out from the police lockup. Nanao was reportedly limping and he also requested the family to arrange the money as soon as possible. He was taken back towards the lockup, without giving any further time to talk to his family. The family requested Jitendro to give time till 5.00 PM but he insisted that the money should be delivered by 3.00 PM, it added.
Though the family was handed over an arrest memo signed by Thokchom Jitendro Singh, Sub Inspector of Imphal Police Station, CSCHR team found out that the memo neither mentioned the reason of arrest nor the dated and time of the arrest. There was also no signature of any witness in the memo, they said.
The representation said a police team headed by SI Thokchom Jitendro Singh brought Nanao back to his house at around 3.00 PM. It alleged that the police personnel reportedly put him and his family members under tremendous stress and anxiety to bring out the gold, supposedly kept in the house. Nanao was reportedly physically weak and mentally stressed out. He collapsed inside the house before the police personnel. He was immediately rushed to the RIMS Hospital by the police personnel, where he was declared to be brought dead. Tale-tell signs of torture is found on this body, including bruise marks, the
The representation mentioned that on the same day, 2 May 2022, SI Jitendro was kept under suspension vide order 11/1/C-4/RO/2022 of the SP Imphal West. The next day on 03 May 2022 an FIR no. 106(5)2022 IPS under section 304/34 IPC has been drawn up against SI Th. Jitendro of Imphal PS and other section 304/34 IPC has been drawn up against SI Th. Jitendro of Imphal PS and other unknown persons with SI T. Amalkumar as the IO, it added
CSCHR requested MHRC to monitor the investigation to ensure that prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigation is conducted as per the United Nations Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death, 2016 and also in accordance to is all the guidelines issued by the National Human Rights Commission pertaining to custodial death.