Richard Loitam's Case : Has The Govt Been Fibbing ?
State CM did nothing at all, claim student organisations
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 12 2012: The State Government never spoke a word to the Government of Karnataka to find out the facts and circumstances leading to the death of Loitam Richard, alleged the six student bodies which are spearheading a sustained agitation demanding justice regarding the controversial death of Richard.

Speaking to media persons at MSF office today, AMSU president Abdul Haque conveyed that representatives of the six student bodies went to Karnataka from June 4 to 11 and urged the Government of Karnataka to deliver justice in the killing of Richard.

The team met the Chief Minister of Karnataka, the DGP and other officials.

During one of the meetings, the Chief Minister of Karnataka confided that the Chief Minister of Manipur never sent any formal query or intimation regarding Richard's case.

When AMSU, MSF, DESAM, KSA, Student Welfare Association of Kangleipak and Students' Union of Kangleipak together with the people of Manipur launched different kinds of agitation, the Government of Manipur claimed that necessary actions would be initiated.

An earlier picture of young students demanding justice in the death of Richard

Instead of making hollow promises, the Government of Manipur need to act otherwise the students bodies would be compelled to launch a fresh round of agitation, said MSF president Ng Milan.

Even though the Government of Karnataka has handed case of Richard to the CID, the Government of Karnataka is not paying due attention to the case, alleged the student leader.

Tell-tale signs of marginalising the issue on the excuse that Richard was killed in accident or Richard was killed by mistake could be observed in different offices (of Karnataka) relevant to the case, Milan said.

Richard Loitam who was studying in Acharya NRV School of Architecture, Bangalore was found dead on April 18 .

He was assaulted by two senior hostellers the previous night.

Even though Richard met with a road accident on April 15, he attended class on April 16 and 17.However, Bangalore police seized Richard's helmet and scooty in connection with his controversial death.

Yet, room no 111 of Richard's hostel where the fighting took place was neither cordoned off nor kept under siege, said Md Abdul Haque.

Richard's death has set off a sequence of protests.