Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, October 28:
Scientific assistant (ballistics) of the Forensic Science Laboratory, Pangei, Dr Soraisam Joychandra, testified before the C Upendra commission today along with another person who was injured in the June 18 firing incident.
Dr Joychandra, whose testimony concerned his examination of a 7.62 mm fired bullet forwarded by the OC, Imphal city police station on September 4 last, stated that the bullet weighed 9.58 grams, and had a length of 30.1 mm and a diameter of 7.9 mm.
He stated that the bullet was fired from a 7.62 mm-calibre rifle having six lanes, and also disclosed that the effective calibre of an SLR was 600 yards.
When cross examined by the counsel of the state police, he maintained that the diameter of the said bullet which was examined by him was of 7.9 mm diameter and as such this diameter is slightly bigger than 7.62 diameter.
He further said that the service rifle issued to security forces including the paramilitary forces was manufactured by the Ordinance Factories, Government of India.
He further stated that there are two types of SLRs manufactured, one being lAl(SLR) and 1A (SLR).
He added that the inside of the barrels of the SLRs had six lanes and six grooves.
He also maintained that the range of the projectiles of the bullets will differ depending on the particular firearm from which the same bullet has been fired.
Another witness who appeared today, P Libasha, 17, a student from Khurai Nandeibam Leikai was among those wounded in the CRPF firing on June 18.In his statement, he told the commission that on June 18, he along with some of his local friends had proceeded towards the chief minister's official residence among a crowd of more than 10,000 people shouting anti-ceasefire slogans.
He stated that among the crowd some of them managed to enter the compound and added that he heard sounds of breaking articles.
After about half an hour, he stated, he saw two CRPF personnel in the security tower at the western gate of the bungalow holding firearms and firing.
He said thereafter many of the crowd including himself ran towards the Nupilal complex, where he realized that he had been hit by bullets on two parts of his body one on the left edge of the nose, and another on the left hand just under the little finger.
He denied the suggestion that he and his friends were involved in ransacking of property and trying to snatch weapons from the armory kept inside the compound of the chief minister's bungalow.