Disturbing trend after every killing : The 'reason' chorus
- Sangai Express Editorial :: April 22, 2013 -

Families of Sorokhaibam Babu, a driver who was killed at Charoi Pandong on National Highway-37 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

So is it going to be a case of the 'unidentified gunmen' remaining unidentified and the case going to be buried ? In the night of April 17, Sorokhaibam Babu, a driver was shot dead in between Charoi Pandongba village and K Senam village along the Imphal-Jiribam stretch of National Highway 37.

With no one, no group in fact, coming forward to claim responsibility for killing the driver while he was transporting FCI rice, indications are that the identity of the killers or the group to which they belong to may never be known. So much for the investigative skill of the agencies concerned.

No wonder then that the demand that the group, behind any such killing own up, has become a trend. This and the demand to explain the reason for the killing has become the slogan for the beleaguered people of Manipur.

Not that this trend has served any real purpose nor is the right way of going about it, but this reveals a disturbing mindset, which has taken firm roots.

The demand to spell out the reason for any such killing is a disturbing indication that deep down in the minds of the public, there are always reason why a person or persons are done to death at the fancy and whims of some armed people or armed outfits.

This unfailingly has created a social reality that any explanation for the killing is always taken as the Biblical truth, with none daring to question the validity of the killing or questioning who has the right to kill anyone and later explain the reasons.

In almost all such explanations the 'faults' of the victims are carefully and minutely detailed for the public to consume. An attempt to brain wash the people that the victim had it coming, for acts of commission or omission.

Not at all a positive reflection of society as a whole. The pattern is unmistakable. An armed outfit or an armed group kills someone. A public outcry follows, demanding that the killers come out in the open and explain the reason for the killing.

The demand is responded to, almost unfailingly, with the people responsible for the killing, drawing up a list of 'unpardonable crimes' which are lapped up by the public without so much as a question.

Kill someone, later come out with the reason and justify the killing. Or at the best, tender a word of regret. Human lives cannot get cheaper than this. No reason not to believe that Babu's case may end up differently !

Sorokhaibam Babu is no more. Most probably he did not know the identities of the killers. Most probably the real killers will never be brought to book.

Killed in the line of duty, killed while dispensing his service to the people and land. These are the epitaphs that may accompany Babu, but does this in any way address the real issue at hand ?

The place where Babu was mowed down by a hail of bullets may have been an isolated place, but there are security posts, nearby, all within a distance of 20 or so kilometres.

There is a CRPF post at K Senam, the 10 Assam Rifles post at Kotlien and the Batallion Headquarters of 10 AR at Noney. There is another CRPF post at Tupul. Hard to believe that a car occupied by gun wielding men could so easily get through these security points, open fire and kill a driver, set ablaze two trucks and cooly make good their escape.

Motive. This is something closely associated with murder or crimes.

And this is the premise on which investigations invariably kick off. What could be the motives behind the killing of a truck driver ?

Monetary demands sounds feasible, but then does it make any sense to kill a driver, a man, who is not in a position to cough up any money ?

Was it an open message that all should fall in line and fulfil all demands or else the fate of Babu would befall others too ?

The sense of outrage that has come out in the form of the two days general strike as well as the call for mass sit-in-protests sum up the collective angst of the people against such mindless killings.

An interesting question is, if the group responsible for the killing comes out in the open and state their reasons, should the public take it lying down ?

Time to say no to these farcical exercises.