A broad daylight murder
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: November 14, 2013 -
It was simply shocking, to say the least.
Even as the people are yet to come in term with the fear psychosis that has been haunting their mind in the wake of the series of bomb blasts in different parts of the State recently, more specifically in the high security capital city area, the news of the assassination of Vice President of Manipur People’s Party (MPP) Haobijam Manisana by some unknown armed assailants in broad daylight has come in. Of course, this is not the first time that prominent political figures have been targeted in Manipur.
In fact, MPP is no stranger to such political assassination as the party alone has lost at least four of its political stalwarts among the many who have fallen to the bullets of unknown gunmen in the State so far with no clue about the killers ever. Major Nilakamal, Deben of Lamsang Constituency, Binoy of Khundrakpam Constituency and Chingsubam Akaba of MPP were assassinated in the past, and the name of its Vice Chairman Haobijam Manisana has only been added to the list of victims of political assassination in the State.
But what has come even more shocking in the latest political killing is the place of its occurrence, which is just outside the campus of Tulihal Airport with a sentry post located just nearby.
From the police report and the accounts given by the eye witnesses, it is more than evidently clear that after trailing behind the Maruti Alto car in which Manisana was driving all alone from home to his party office where he was to attend a meeting, the armed assailants who came in Bolero jeep boldly pumped some bullets, killing the MPP leader on the spot, and drove away towards Imphal coolly with no fear of anyone chasing after them.
So, the anguish of the party President Sovakiran, who has categorically stated that no party workers are save in Manipur today and blamed the ruling Congress Government for its alleged inability to protect the life of the people and their properties is understanding, because the failure of the State police/security personnel deployed in the State as well as their machineries is something that could not brush aside that easily this time.
In such a situation, the response of Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, who has nothing more to say that his opt repeated assurance that his Government has viewed the action of brutal killing of Haobijam Manisana very seriously, those responsible for this criminal action will not be spared and they would be taken to task as per the law of the land at the earliest sounds so ridiculous.
This is definitely no time for mouthing some worn out assurances that would come to naught and mean nothing.
Its time for the Chief Minister to think of something new to say even if his Government is not going do anything to spare or not to spare the perpetrators of the crimes.
In short, it is time for the Chief Minister to admit the failure of his Government towards ensuring protection to the lives and properties of the people.
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