Murder of driver : Five accused pulled up
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 27 2013: Altogether five accused have been pulled up in connection with the murder of excavator operator Masinam Devraj and two of them who are said to be main accused of the murder case were paraded before media persons at the conference hall of Imphal West SP today.

The duo have been identified as Namoijam Chalamba alias Rakesh (25) s/o N Gojen of Ningombam Makha Leikai and Tongbram Babu alias Shyamchand (27) s/o T Biren of Thanga Khunjao but presently staying at Langol Laimanai.

It has turned out that they were involved in multiple criminal cases.

The other three accused are Namoijam Chalamba's father N Gojen (50), Chalamba's younger brother Jimikanta (20) and Chalamba's wife N (O) Tombi alias Jiteshori (24) .

Parading the two main accused before media persons, SP Jayenta said that it was N Chalamba and T Babu who took away the excavator together with driver Devraj from Chanam Anilkumar's house on October 14 on the pretext of engaging the excavator in some works.

Police pacfying enraged people

The duo were involved in multiple criminal cases and police were hunting for them.

They were involved in hijacking a Bolero jeep by hiring the vehicle from Ukhrul for going to Imphal.

After hijacking the Bolero, they left the driver at Canchipur and this happened a few months back, said the SP.

Moreover, Chalamba and Babu were involved in killing a woman who used to visit and deal in Moreh goods by slitting her throat in Langol area.

In another case, they hijacked a JCB from Nagaland and brought it to Imphal.

Then they hijacked another Bolero jeep belonging to one Dr AD Singh from near PG Oil Pump, Chingmeirong in July this year.

They again hijacked another Verna car belonging to Prof Khangjarakpam Soken of Oriental College.

On learning about the hijacking of an excavator along with the driver, police found a mobile number through which the hijackers communicated with the wife of the excavator owner, Chanam Anilkumar.

It was through this phone number that police could pull up all the five accused.

However, police investigation was delayed a little as the excavator owner only filed a missing report at Singjamei police station, said SP Jayenta.

After hijacking the JCB, the accused posed themselves as owners and lent out the excavator to sub-contractor Martin of Tupul.

They murdered driver Devraj in the evening of October 14 itself and buried the corpse after digging the earth 3'6" deep using the excavator.

Saying that all the accused have a criminal tendency and can kill people in cold blood in their pursuit for easy money, the SP cautioned all the people to be wary of such persons.

On the other hand, incensed by the news of Devraj's death, people of Khurai came out in large numbers and blocked Imphal-Ukhrul road, Tinsid road as well as Saikul road.

They put across logs and bamboos and burnt tyres in the middle of road.

The enraged people were also not happy with the excavator owner Anilkumar for his failure to speak a single word of consolation even after learning that Devraj was found dead.

They set out to march up to Anilkumar's home but they were blocked by police at Lamlong Keithel.

Later, some persons were allowed to go Anilkumar's home.