Youth Forum for Protections of Human Rights (YFPHR) wrote a letter to MHRC for urgent intervention on suspicious murder of A Sanaton at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Hostel Number 3.
TFM Desk
Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) on Thursday directed tha Imphal West Superintendent of Police (SP) to furnish a status report of the investigation of the death of Athokpam Sanaton along with the post-mortem report before the commission on or before April 24.
The joint action committee formed in connection with the death and the family of late A Sanaton have also been informed to appear before the commission on April 20. Further proceeding and order will be held on the same day.
Youth Forum for Protections of Human Rights (YFPHR) wrote a letter to MHRC for urgent intervention on suspicious murder of A Sanaton at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Hostel Number 3. Consequently, the commission registered it as an MHRC Complaint Case.
YFPHR urged the commission to call for the report asking the Lamphel Police Station to explain why the FIR should not be registered and why the police failed to receive a complaint made by his family members; to direct the police department to furnish the post mortem report to the commission; to direct the state to form an independent impartial investigation commission to probe the death of A Sanaton in which the commission to chair the investigation; to direct the state to conduct investigation against the Lamphel Police Station for its failure to register a case over the death of A Sanaton. It also urged the commission to monitor the investigation process at the earliest.
YFPHR also said that it learnt various important areas of concern from fact finding visits at the deceased residence.
“The family member was informed by one of the known persons informing that A Sanaton is at the Causality of RIMS. When the family members visited RIMS Causality they were informed that he was found dead on March 15 around 1:30 pm at his hostel room. Nobody witnessed and saw that he was hanging inside his room beside those friends who brought him to RIMS Causality by taking him down from where he was said to be found hanging. It was also informed that his friends brought him to RIMS causality in a Honda Activa from hostel without informing to the Hostel’s warden or to any authority of RIMS institutions and without even informing the police.”
In such a controversial death the jurisdictional Police Station, Lampbel Police Station failed to register an FIR on the death of A Santon besides receiving a complaint from the family members and having the prima facie of being murdered, since it was found that both his wrist were found tied at his back, injured on the small toe, hit mark on the face and back of his body and others. The concerned police have also denied the request of the victim family to participate in a post mortem which was conducted on March 16 at JNIMS Hospital, YFPHR said in the complaint letter.
It further said that it was highly questionable being medical students, because after knowing that Sanaton was found hanging death at his room, they failed to comply with the procedures to deal with a hanging case; such as reporting the matter to the police, collection of the death body with the help of the forensic team, conducting autopsy etc.
It was observed that both his wrist was found tied, marks on his forehead and back of the body and a sign of being hit by a big rod. It was also found that his leg was found muddy, however, there were no signs of such in his room which was clean, it added.
It was informed that his friends found him hanging and rescued him by kicking and opening his room door which is made of plywood and there were no signs such as broken door handle, plywood, etc.
It was informed by the Superintendent of Police, Imphal West that there were no phone call records in Sanaton’s mobile phone for the past one month and further informed that his reading electronic tablet was not found. However, the SP later informed the family members that his reading tablet was found from his bed, the complaint letter stated.
YFPHR also contended that till date not a single person including the warden of the hostel or his friends who took him to the RIMS Causality, etc are inquired which is a “sign of hidden plot to reveal the truth”.
Meanwhile, Justice for Sanaton (Sanaton) continued its agitations by blocking the Imphal-Ukhrul Road. Along the Lamlong-Hatta Minuthong Road, several women came out and protested by blocking the road. JSA said that the agitations will continue until truth about the death is revealed.