The Murder of Revolutionary Kishan in Manipur
- Part 1 -
By Malem Ningthouja *
'If you ask me a question, I have a dream. Yes, for a society where there is no exploitation; subjugation, domination and suppression.'
Dr. Thingnam Kishan
(26 February 1972 to 17 February 2009)
In Manipur (India) [1] brutal murder of Sub-divisional Officer (SDO) Dr. Thingnam Kishan and his associates, driver Aribam Rajen and mandal Yumnam Token, on 17 February 2009 by the cadres of National Socialist Council of Nagalim - Isaac Muivah faction (NSCN-IM) had sparked off widespread protest paralysing normal functioning of administration for several days.
Equivocal protest slogans demanding punishment of the murderers were raised by civil societies, underground parties, overground political parties and trade unions cutting across community and organisational boundaries.
The Government of Manipur, besides its attempt to appease the families of the victims with compensation game [2] had mechanised brutal tactics to suppress protest, e.g., imposing of curfew, baton charge, firing of rubber bullets, blasting of mock bombs and so on [3]. The present article explores the character of the murder and questions the fundamental issue laying ahead of politics in Manipur.
The death path
On the morning of 13 February 2009, Kishan left his home in Imphal District for Ukhrul District, to attend a meeting called by the Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul District Pankaj Kumar Pal.
After the proposed meeting he was supposed to reach his office at Kasom Khullen in Ukhrul through the Lumbui Road as the Work's Minister of Manipur would be visiting the area on 14 February . He had planned to return to his home on 14 February [4]. However, Kishan did not visit his office at Kasom Khullen on 14 February [5] nor could he return to his home alive.
A conspiracy to abduct and murder Kishan had been well laid by the time he had reached the DC Office. When the meeting was going on with the DC six cadres of the NSCN-IM, armed with guns, were waiting in a Bolero vehicle that was parked near the DC Office.
At around the noon after the meeting, when Kishan and his five associates were driving for Kasom Khullen, the Bolero overtook the vehicle of Kishan near St. Thomas School and abducted them at gun point near the Ukhrul Gate at Hungdung.
They were halted for the night at the residence of Wungmasho, former headman of Langdang Village situated between Ukhrul and Siroy. There the cadres kept out of sight Kishan's vehicle after removing the number plates and official beacon.
On the following day, three associates of Kishan namely peon Kapangkhui Zimik, village level social worker S. Ramthing and Extension Officer in-charge R.S. Ramsing [6] were freed. Kishan, Rajen and Token [7] were detained, bundled into the Bolero along with three armed cadres and driven on the hilly tract towards Seikhor Village (Ukhrul west) on the old Imphal-Ukhrul Road.
They spent the nights of 14 and 15 February at the residence of one Th. Zimik, a village secretary of Seikhor Village. The following day, i.e., 16 February, when they passed through Tuinem and reached at Ngaingu junction, one of the armed cadres stayed back.
In the meanwhile, on the morning of 16 February 2009 one Mr. Roland, who was a PA of Chingai SDO, informed to Kishan's family over phone that Kishan was in the custody of NSCN-IM in good health.
The same day one Mr. Peter, a worker of Wungnaoshang Keishing who had been an MLA of Phungyar Assembly Constituency from Khasom Khullen came to Kishan's house and shared the same information. He assured to Kishan's wife that Kishan would be released safely and that police should not be informed about the matter.
One Mr. Victor, a village secretary of Kasom Khullen, told the same story, shared the same view and assured that Kishan would be released soon after a negotiation with the NSCN-IM.
On the other side the abductors and the captives proceeded from Ngaingu Junction towards Senapati Phaibung Road and reached at Senapati District after midnight. The vehicle and the driver were left near a stone crushing centre and the rest of them proceeded towards Taphou Kuki Village.
In the wee hour of the morning of 17 February Kishan and his associates were blindfolded, their hands were tied at their backs, hacked with spade and their heads were smashed with rock.
The mortal remains were abandoned under the Lukhrabi Bridge near Taphou Kuki Village along the National Highway number 39. The two armed cadres then returned with the vehicle to Ukhrul on the same route that they had taken during their onward journey.
to be continued....
* Malem Ningthouja ( a resident of Delhi) contributes regularly to e-pao.net The writer can be contacted at mningthouja(at)yahoo(dot)com
This article was webcasted at e-pao.net on 22nd April 2009.
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