Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 22 2009:
In connection with the suspected rape and consequent murder of 18-year old Okram Ongbi Tamphasana w/o Okram Chinglensana of Serou Part-I Awang Leikai, the house of the accused, identified as Pukhrambam Momba alias Bobby of Keirao Bitra Mayai Leikai, was today pulled down and set on fire by the infuriated local people.
On October 19, Tamphasana had reportedly left along with Momba, who is married to the younger sister of Chinglensana, in connection with arranging some documents required for securing the bail of her husband who is in jail, but her body was recovered from an irrigational canal of Langthrei Loukon along Imphal-Yairipok Road under Irilbung Police Station in Imphal East district on the following morning.
Momba has also been absconding since then.
When news of the presence of Momba at Thongrangbi Pat spread this morning, local residents of Keirao Wangkhem, Langdum, Khanna-rok-Sandrok and Keirao Bitra launched a massive manhunt.
But he could not be located.
Later during the afternoon, a public meeting was held at the ground of Kanglei Chanura Chaokhat Thourang Lup.
In accordance with the resolution adopted during the meeting, infuriated local people pulled down the house of Momba and later set it on fire.
While the house was being pulled down, a team of police personnel from Irilbung Police Station arrived and tried to stop them.
But regardless of the police presence, the mob continued to ransack the house and later set it on fire.
When the police team who were present at the site left and returned with Fire Brigade personnel, the mob tried to prevent them from putting off the fire.
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Only when the OC of Irilbung Police Station arrived at the spot, could the fire service personnel be pressed into action in dousing the fire.
Talking to mediapersons, infuriated local Meira Paibis informed that the accused Momba had been earlier banished from the locality and his house destroyed and set on fire in connection with another incident of raping a girl child at Mahabali.
So this time it has been decided during the public meeting to banish his entire family members from the locality.
The family members can return only after the death of Momba.
The family members of Momba reportedly pleaded with the people not to banish them from the locality and they would join in giving befitting punishment to Momba.
However, as Momba had returned to the locality because of the presence of his family members, today's public meeting rejected the petition of the family members and endorsed banishment of all of them.
The local Meira Paibis have also appealed to all not to extend any help to Momba.