Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 03:
In a daring move today, a lady witness today testified before the Manorama inquiry panel that she heard sound of gun shots minutes after she saw three army personnel carrying a woman^s body towards a hillock near Yairipok Maring village on the morning of July 11.Thangjam Manorama was picked up by troopers of 17 Assam Rifles from her Bamon Kampu Mayai Leikai residence on the intervening night of July 10 and 11.Her body was later recovered from Yairipok Maring Village the following morning.
The lady witness identified as P Bilashini Devi while testifying before the Manorama panel headed by C Upendra, retired District and Sessions Judge today informed that she saw four army vehicles (two Gypsys and two trucks) coming from the Irilbung side stop and park their vehicles near the road side just next to a paddy field on the morning of July 11 at around 4 while she was working at her field.
She further said that some persons in army uniforms took down a body of a woman clad in Phanek from one of the two trucks and carried it towards a hillock.
After about two minutes, five to six gunshots were heard from the area where the body was later found, she added.
Immediately after hearing the firing sound, she saw one army Gypsy moving towards Irilbung side, Bilashini testified adding that she found a woman's body lying on the road side when she went to enquire after the army left.
Bilashini's paddy field is about 100/150 ft from the spot where Manorama's body was found.
"I have voluntarily gome forward to testify before the commission today to give evidence of what I saw that morning," she added.
When cross-examined by the counsel on behalf of the Assam Rifles, the lady witness said she was quite sure about the timing when the gunshots were fired because she had a pocket radio and by turning on the radio she could accurately tell the timing as the radio programme of Manipur starts between 4 to 430 am.
She also said that she could identify the four army vehicles from its colour and the occupants inside them and added that she was completely in the dark regarding the number of army personnel inside the vehicle as she had not approached close enough to the army vehicles.