Loitam Richard murder case: Father endorses fresh probe by CBI
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, May 22 2012:
"I would like the state government to request the Prime Minister of India to hand over the case of the death of Richard Loitam to the CBI for investigation, or go to the court for justice for my son if the government do not listen to my request", said Dr.Rajesh Loitam, father of Richard Loitam.
Loitam Richard was alleged killed in Bangalore by some of his hostel mates following a tiff over switching the TV channel while watching an IPL cricket match.
Richard was a second year semester student in Acharya NRV School of Architecture at Soladevanahalli, Bangalore and staying in the hostel of the institute.
Speaking at a press meet at Imphal today, Dr.Rajesh said that the warden of the hostel in which Richard was staying stated in a written report to the police that a student of the hostel identified as Vishal Syed Afzal Ali punched Richard three/four times on his face 'with the intention of killing him' and Richard succumbed to the injuries caused by Syed Afzal Ali on the night of April 17, 2012 .
He questioned why the warden did not stop the fight, or informed the police or the family.
Dr Rajesh also stated that the post mortem report was twisted and changed again and again, and is now stating that the cause of death was cardiac arrest and not as a result of the injuries received by the beating.
He went on to say that the post mortem report also ignored the fact that there was bleeding from the nose and ears of Richard which indicated that he was hit by a heavy object on the head.
He demanded that those involved in the crime be booked and punished under the law of the land.
He appreciated the assurance of the Union Home Minister that the safety and welfare of the North East people will be assured in the metropolitan cities of the Indian mainland where there are numerous cases of racial discrimination by the people of the mainland.
He further stated that the case of the death of his son has now become a national issue thanks to mobilization of people from different parts of the country and abroad through the social media like the Facebook.
Meanwhile, the agitations by the student organizations demanding justice for Richard continued today with burning of effigies of the Chief Ministers of Manipur and Karnataka.