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Tension grips Kangpokpi district after Chalwa villager allegedly shot by Assam Rifles Major

Agitated citizens confronting security and police personnel
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Irate locals storm 44 AR outpost and torch vehicles. Kangpokpi police took the accused AR Major into their custody. A “Deeds of Agreement” was signed between CSOs, Assam Rifles and the state government.

TFM Kangpokpi Representative

Twilang area, Kangpokpi district remained tense after a Major of Assam Rifles allegedly shot one of the villagers of Chalwa village on Friday night.

Major Alok Sathe, Post Commander of 44 AR E Coy, Gelnel village (Banglabung) outpost with his jawan Rifleman Amar and two others in civilian dress in a civil vehicle carried out an operation at Chalwa village on Friday night at around 9 pm, according to sources.

The deceased, Mangboilal Lhouvum was first allegedly treated with alcohol and brought onto the roadside and lethally fired upon. He was carried to PHC T. Waichong village in critical condition. The doctor referred him to District Hospital Kangpokpi since no proper medical facility was available at the PHC for further treatment but he succumbed to his injuries before reaching Kangpokpi near Chawangkining.

The deceased victim is survived by his wife Neikhochong Lhouvum and four children. He was the sole bread earner of the family, working as a helper of a truck (Shaktiman) driver.

The Major of 44 AR E Coy, Gelnel village (Banglabung) outpost allegedly 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 and Chalwa village is located at around 55 km from the district headquarters, while the distance between the 44 AR E Coy outpost at Gelnel village (Banglabung) and Chalwa village is around 10 Km.

Fumed with the gruesome killing, an enraged mob, including men and women in Twilang area stormed the 44 AR outpost at Gelnel village (Banglabung) and torched two vehicles of the Assam Rifle including one SUV (Gypsy) and one truck (407 Tata). In the morning it was reportedly found that two AK rifles of the Assam Rifles inside the Gypsy were also burnt down during the arson.

The civil society organisations of Kangpokpi District under the aegis of Kuki Inpi immediately rushed to spot and took stock of the situation. However, tension erupted once again after the civil police allegedly refused to arrest the alleged murderer of Mangboilal Lhouvum.

Kuki Inpi Kangpokpi District general secretary Thangminlen Kipgen said that the AR higher authority claimed the Major cannot be arrested because the area is under AFSPA and he is a central government employee apart from being an army officer. But the fact is that Major Alok Sathe is allegedly a murderer who went to the place in a civil dress with his four men for his personal work and not on duty, brandishing their service weapon and snatched away an innocent life, a father of an innocent four children and a husband of an innocent wife.

He continued that an army officer in civil clothes out on a mission in a civil vehicle appeared to the people to be a premeditated act and we firmly believe that the murder of Mangboilal Lhouvum is also premeditated.

“Major Alok shot me” was the last words of deceased Mangboilal Lhouvum before succumbing to his injuries asserted Thangminlen Kipgen while adding that after the firing the victim was alive for another 3 to 4 hours but unfortunately he passed away.

“It was the deceased person’s testimony virtually recorded that he was shot at by Major Alok of 44 AR Gelnel Banglabung outpost”, he added.

Speaking to media persons at Kangpokpi, the deceased wife Neikhochong Lhouvum with her one and a half year old youngest son on her lap visibly exhausted said that they went for work and returned in the afternoon and after having food he visited the neighbour’s house.

“But after a gunshot was heard, I was informed that my husband was lying grievously injured on the road and I rushed to the spot only to find him in such a critical condition,” 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, but the “devil Major snatched away her husband, I want justice”.

She also said they were detained for almost half an hour at Thonglang AR check post despite knowing of the emergency.

After a heated confrontation, Kangpokpi police led by Addl. SP (Ops) and OC Chalwa Police Station took the AR Major into their custody and brought him to Kangpokpi Police Station.

Meanwhile, it was reported that talked over the alleged murder of Mangboilal Lhouvum will be held in the presence of Brigadier Arora, Commander 22 Sector Assam Rifles, local MLA, and the CSOs.

 The dead body of Mangboilal Lhouvum has already been deposited at RIMS Morgue for post mortem by Kangpokpi police on Saturday morning.

However, the CSOs decided not to claim the body unless the issue is solved amicably.

Meanwile, condemnation from various Kuki civil bodies including Thadou Students’ Association, Kangpokpi local bodies, and many others strongly condemned the alleged gruesome murder committed by the 44 AR Gelnel Banglabung Major.

On the other hand, the AR PRO was contacted about the issue, but it was replied that it was not in the jurisdiction of the AR South but that of AR East (Silchar).

Meanwhile, a “Deeds of Agreement” between CSOs, Assam Rifles and the state government was signed on Saturday.

According to the agreement, investigation of the incident on the night of June 4 at Chalwa involving alleged person(s) of 44 AR E Company, will be initiated immediately by the police.

Assam Rifles will compensate for the loss of life to the deceased family an amount Rs 10,00,000 on “humanitarian grounds” of which Rs 1,00,000 will be given on Saturday.

The present company of 44 AR Banglabung outpost will be removed or replaced by the same company as in Kangpokpi district headquarter at the earliest after approval from Army HQ, New Delhi. It was also agreed upon to set up a “fully functional armed Police Station” in the area with a 40 strength minimum at the earliest.

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