Youth alleges recruitment fraud
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 19 2013:
Despite repeated reminders by au-thorities concerned that recruitment in central para-military forces are solely based on merit, a 17-year old from Ukhrul district alleged to have been duped by Assam Rifles, with Maram-based 5 AR as cited as the genesis in the alleged fraud case.
Speaking to newspersons at the Wangkhei Thangapat Mapal (Palace Compound) office of Human Rights Initiative today, the 17-year old from New Kharasom, recounted that some personnel of 5 AR put up recruitment notice in August, 2012 at his Don Bosco School, Maram where he was a student.
Based on the notice, 30 youths from Maram areas, including some students provided detailed information at the time of submitting recruitment forms consequently receiving SMSes about four weeks later for physical measurement at the Maram post.
The 17-year old maintaining that his chest number for the physical measurement was 5952, claimed to have a received a call letter on December 15, 2012 with the information that he has to deposit Rs 15,469 as recruitment fee.
On March 8, 2013 a publication in the Aza newspaper asked participants of a recruitment rally to report to Keithelmanbi following which he ranged up on the contact number provided earlier by the Maram AR post for confirmation.
On being told that to immediately report to Army Defence Academy, Hyder-abad, the 17-year old said he left home after mortgaging the family's homestead land for Rs 40,000 and on March 11 reached Hyderabad, where he put up at the residence of a pastor, a family friend.
From Hyderabad another phone call resulted in a missive that he has to come to Hamagonda followed by an individual (escort) arriving on a motorcycle and taking him to a Hamagonda residence where the youngsters was asked to cough up Rs 7000 .
Suspecting foul play, the Ukhrul youth said he tried to escape but was not very successful as the man (escort) managed to get hold of him.
However, the youngster succeeded on his second attempt to safely reach the pastor's house from where he returned home on March 16, narrated the 17-year old.
HRI executive director Wahengbam Joykumar, pre-sent at the media briefing, demanded that Assam Rifles/Army authorities initiate a probe on the youngster's complaint.
He also confided that HRI has conveyed the matter to Ministry of Home Affairs for further investigation so that the guilty ones, if any, be pulled up and made to face the music.