It's been nearly a month ago since three Manipur Rifles (MR) Jawans guarding the residence of BD Behring MLA, Chandel A/C, got themselves shot dead in stunning tragedy. Though the MLA was out of station at that time at Minuthong areas, Imphal-west, his brother was also injured with a gun-shot wound on that mysterious firing incident.

The official account of the bizarre incident based on statements made by other fellow MR jawans was seemingly a case of an enraged relieved sentry shooting an NCO (guard commander) and another himself with his service rifle, an SLR.

The crime scene was surprisingly limited to just one general spot with two SLR placed near the dead body of the suicidal victim, Rfn Vaiphei, in uniformed with boots still on; whereas the two other unarmed victims in civivies lying in a very range. Another NCO (naik/corporal) got a gun shot on his knee. But for questionable eye-witness testimonies, nature of the gunshot wounds and gun-shot reports, that tragic incident could have been classified as total infighting mayhem.

Well, now was the Minuthong tragedy cover up internal affairs? It could be five killings in 3 months, along with one victim of unlikely encounter, in a most uniformed crowded and maximum security zone of the North AOC minuthong areas without any convicted culprit is a good question or thought to reckon with.

The incompetency of the state police IOs stand out like a sore thumb of Godzilla. Ballistic test of projectiles in the 31st Dec 2005 North AOC incident was not properly carried out on the basis of the empty cases being non-Govt issue AK rounds. It ought to be noted that many small arms and ammos captured from slain UG militants had never been submitted by the State police commandos on many instances. These could be used by any SF personnel to commit crime without being retraced forensically based on CSI.

However, the wild shootings at Behring's residence can be easily issued to each MR jawans on guarding details. It would also have been much easier to put together the factual tragic events on that fateful night if officers of the police commandos complex and rear AR jawans on duty were fully taken in confident as 'Material-witness'. The fantastic contradictory testimonies of the 'surviving' MR jawans cannot be taken as a final truth since it would be prejudiced.

According to them, it was a weary and enraged sentry going berserk unprovoked, killing two fellow jawans and then committing suicide with his own service rifle i.e a 7.62 mm calibre self-loading rifle. An SLR can be fired only once at a single pull of the hair-trigger and cannot be fired in burst like AK or carbine or M-16. It has its own distinctive gun-shot report (firing sound), has a long barrel and is effective within 200 yards, and a paramount butt.

It is virtually ineffective in very close-quarter-combat inside a small room. This is the reason why the testified version of a double homicide-cum-suicide of one Paominthang Vaiphei, the lone accused, is unacceptable and suspicious case scenario.

Each and every testimony, like the assassination of IG (Intl) at Oinam, would certainly have not convinced even a third rate school kid. Had they been a case taken by expert CSI with the help of criminal forensic science in western countries like US and Britain, a dozen of terminated MR jawans, and so-called police commandos, would be put behind the bars for cowardice, manslaughter and battary charges.

Of course, IOs might have some knowledge with credible resources but they evidently have not be put into practice.

The first clue in triple killing case at Minuthong lies in the type and quality of (bullet) rounds discharged during the gunfight melee at the MLA's residence holds the real key to justice after death. All the grieving family members deserved full knowledge of the exact events stitched together by CSIs, based on both physical and circumstantial evidences.

Since the CDO officers are quartered within a firing distance, their official testimonies of the type of weapons and ammos used during the minute or so 'not-so 'friendly' firing can be used as the most reliable 'witnesses'. It should be noted that more than more persons using different weapons took part in the shooting which discharged around 10 high velocity rifle rounds.

The gunshot reports could be classified in 3 different segments, and a third party was certainly involved. The enraged sentry, dubbed as the main single culprit, could not and never have had committed suicide with his SLR, judging by the fatal gunshot would inflicted upon him. There is no way to commit suicide with a long firearm like SLR with a body shot.

Of course, there is a possible chance to do so with the barrel stuck against under-chin or throat by using his toe or a metal rod to 'press' the trigger since even a very long arm jawan could not have reached even the trigger guard. The accused MR jawan had his boots on, there was no foreign object which would be used to push the trigger and there was no gunshot wound below his chin or upper throat which would suggest a possible self-inflicted fatal shot.

Moreover, any such hara-Kiri shot must have brain bursting exit point on top of his head since an SLR fires a high velocity metal-jacketed 7.62 mm round. Instead, the alleged double murdering MR jawan received a mysterious fatal double murdering MR jawan received a mysterious fatal gunshot would on his chest with an angled trajectory which very clearly suggest a third party firing at him, unless the alleged suicide murdering jawan shot himself with a pistol.

But, however, two SLRs were placed near the dead body like the two rusty hand grenades neatly placed near one of the dead bodies of the triple cold-blooded murder of three Kuki school kids at the KR Lane by the IE police commandos. How or why should one jawan wielded two SLRs in heart of the moment crime which would be a great disadvantage?

Firstly, the MR jawan to whom the extra SLR was issued must have to be severely punished for losing his firearm to be reportedly used eventually for killing two fellow jawans.

This would be the first breakthrough for the IO. All numbered weapons with its extra magazines along with issued rounds are meticulously registered. Forget about dispossession of one's service firearms, each and every bullets are accounted for on regular basis, and hence, not even single round can be unaccounted for.

That's a court-martial offence in the military, which is not the case in an indisciplined police establishment. Remember the lost of a service pistol at RIMS recently? Not a single state police personnel was suspended or terminated as required. Now, could the extra SLR placed near the dead body of the sentry who allegedly went berserk be the second weapon used in the brief shoot out?

Could that be the excuse used by the holder to clear himself by testifying that the missing issued rounds were discharged by the deceased? Could that unaccounted rounds were the ones causing the death of Neihsel and Vaiphei during the in-house skirmish?

Yes, it definitely could be; since more than one weapon were evidently used in the pell-mell firing. Unless a highly unlikely fire supports were discharged from nearby security post, atleast two or more different distinctive gunshot reports could be heard very clearly. For an expert militaryman, each gunshot report can be differentiated.

On that tragic night at Minuthong, the first two reports were somewhat muffled indicating a gunfire inside a house. Seconds later, a short but very sharp gunshot reports could be heard which were similar to AK rifle sound. A short intermittent gun-shots of different sounds could be safely taken as an exchange of gunfire within or inside the MLAs residence.

This pell-mell gunfight can be corroborated by the rear AR, Police CDO and IRB jawans stationed nearby. A commando-trained military officers and NCOs are specifically programmed to 'read and classify' gunshot reports and its calibre, since this could be vital in ambush situation and night-attacks.

A military commando officer had to know the strength, fire-power and battle plan of the enemy and thus issue appropriate order or field instruction, which is whether to launch counter offensive, maintain position or outmanoeuvred the enemies. That's 'military forensic science'.

Coming back to last moment of Minuthong tragedy, the last three gunshot repots clearly indicates a firing by a third (MR) party. Two of them were fired simultaneously millisecond apart, one shot overlapping another, with third almost similar gunshot report half a second later. Was that a coup de grace for the enraged sentry or an out-of-control firing with the barrel pointing downward?

Taking into account the nature of the reports, some of the rounds were fired with the weapon's barrel pointing opposite directions. All the gunshots lasted no more than a minute. One of the injured MR jawan made an unconvincing statement. How could a person with shattered knee 'ran' away from the scene and made a safe landing on a hard ground from a the first floor of the building?

Yes, he could have left leg, the impact on landing on a hard ground with just one, leg to bear the impact, it would be equivalent to jumping down from two above floor, hence, an injury of sort and fracture limbs but that's not the case. Moreover, why on earth would the 'surviving' MR jawans cautioned the first police team to wait for another 15 or so minutes if the lone accused had already been death?

Could that be strange delay be an excuse to arrange a convincing crime scene of a lone murderer theory? It could possibly be. It seems that the MR jawans did not know the fact that they could disable or kill another rogue jawan in self-defence or to prevent further crime. Had they admitted the real sequence of the tragedy sincerely to the police IO, they could be easily acquitted of manslaughter charges.

Now, it's too late to change their official statements and as such justifiably liable to face conspiracy of double murder changes. Well, that's the job of the law enforcers. Full justice is required and the whole truth be made public in order maintain trust, honour and credibility of the state law enforcement agencies.