3 IRB men shot dead by colleague
Source: Hueiyen News Service /NNN
Imphal, June 05 2012:
In a bizarre and unfortunate incident, three personnel of 6 Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) deployed at Maphou Dam located in the border of Imphal East district and Ukhrul district, were shot dead by another IRB personnel deployed at the same site on Tuesday.
The IRB personnel who shot dead three of his colleagues later shot himself dead with his service weapon.
The unfortunate incident occurred at Maphou dam where the 6 IRB personnel were posted at around 2:30 p.m.to 3 p.m.The three IRB personnel who were shot dead were identified as Thokchom Birbal (35) s/o (L) Ibochoubi of Toubul, Bishenpur district, Khamjathang @ Chingkhopao (54) s/o (L) Gingou of New Lamka, Churachanpur district and Haorengbam Deven (49) s/o Ibobi of Thoubal Khekman, Thoubal district.
All three were Havildars in the 6 IRB.
The guilty IRB personnel identified as Rifleman Kaikhohao Hangsing from Churachandpur district, who shot himself to death after killing the three Havildars, was reported by eyewitnesses to be drunk at the time of the shooting.
It is reported that after entering his barrack, Kaikhohao started loading his weapon and open fire shooting indiscriminately.
The IRB personnel ran for shelter when the shooting started, but Havildars Birbal and Deven, who were resting on their beds were hit and died on the spot while Havidar Khamjathang, who was also hit in the firing later succumbed to the injuries at the hospital.
Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao in connection with the incident, CO of 6th IRB Lakshmi Prasad Chhetry informed that accused Kaikhohao was on leave for two weeks and joined duty at the post on May 31.Earlier he was a habitual drinker, but on the day of the incident, he was said to a sober.
Quoting family members, the CO further informed that Kaikhohao had some mental problem and he had been earlier arrested by the police.
The dead bodies of the three havildars are being kept at the morgue of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal and a case has been taken up by Lamlai police station in connection with the incident.
After the incident, ADGP Gourd, CO of 6th IRB Lakshmi Prasad, SDPO and CO of Lamlai Police rushed in for inspection.