JAC demands arrest of murderers within January 27
JAC not to claim bodies till demands are met
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, January 24 2010: Irate villagers of Phayeng and its vicinity have set three days' deadline on Sunday to arrest the culprits involved in the brutal murder of the widow and her teenaged daughter whose decomposed bodies were found on Saturday by a farmer in Imphal West district.

Angom Chanbi, a 36 year-old widow and her daughter Ibemcha (16) were found murdered in a paddy field on Saturday after they were reportedly missing since January 12 night.

The mother and the daughter were suspected to have been raped by the murderers as there were telltale signs.

The local people of Phayeng areas urged the Chief Minister of Manipur to do something for the three children of the murdered woman, Chanbi whose husband had died a year ago.

Dead bodies of mother and daughter found lying in haystacks Inset: Deceased daughter and three surviving children)

Around nine villages of Phayeng Khunou area convened a public meeting today in this connection.

A Joint Action Committee against the brutal killing of Angom Ongbi Chanbi and her daughter Menaka was formed at the meeting.

The meeting adopted three resolutions.

After the meeting, the villagers in four buses headed for the Chief Minister's office but they were stopped in front of Lamshang Police Station by its personnel along with additional police commando teams.

However, after talking with the police, three men and three women of the JAC were allowed to proceed to meet the Chief Minister.

OC of Lamshang PS, Joykumar arranged for the six members of the JAC to meet the Chief Minister this evening.

The meeting lasted for about an hour during which the JAC placed the three demands before the Chief Minister.

The demands are: 1.The government must identify the murderers of Angom Ongbi Chanbi of Phayeng Nongkhapan, wife of Late Khomei and their eldest daughter Angom Ibecha @ Menaka within January 27; 2.The government to take the responsibility for bringing up the three surviving children who are now orphans, and 3.Until the two demands are fulfilled by the government, not to claim the two dead bodies.

After listening to the JAC's requests carefully, Chief Minister O Ibobi gave strict instructions to the police to book the murderers as soon as possible and appealed to the people to cooperate with the police in trying to identify and book the murderers.

Moreover, the Chief Minister assured the JAC that the government will make necessary arrangements to look after the three orphans.

On the other hand, police have registered an FIR into the murder incident and are investigating, police said.

Though no one has been arrested so far, the police expressed confidence of arresting the murderers very soon.

However, the question whether both or either one of the mother or daughter had been raped before murdering them could only be ascertained after the post mortem of the bodies to be done tomorrow, police said.

Meanwhile, the decomposed bodies of Chanbi and Ibemcha are still lying at the morgue of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal.