15 witnesses submit written affidavits on killing of Sapam Robinhood
Witnesses depose before inquiry commission
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 09 2015 :
Fifteen witnesses have submitted their statements (written affidavits) before the single member Commission of Inquiry appointed to probe into the death of Sapam Robinhood after he sustained injury during police action on protesting students in Imphal on July 8 .
Sources told Hueiyen Lanpao that since the judicial inquiry commission started functioning at the State Guest House, 15 witnesses have submitted their written statements before the commission.
Moreover, eight witnesses including three who had submitted statement on affidavit deposed before the commission.
These included the executive magistrate and the doctor who conducted the post-mortem over the body of (late) Sapam Robinhood.
Sources said the executive magistrate who deposed before the Commission on Tuesday last confirmed that there was both "oral and written order" to disperse the students from the venue of the rally.
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As the commission sought her clarification on the term "minimum force" used in the written order, the magistrate clarified that "minimum force" as mentioned in order dated July 8 meant that the students who were taking part in the rally were to be pushed back.
The magistrate deposed that the order did not mean "any violent mode for dispersal" .
Mention may be made that the report on the incident recorded by the officer-in-charge of Porompat Police Station mentioned that the executive magistrate, Imphal East on duty at the spot ordered to use "minimum force" like lathi charge, tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
Accordingly, police personnel dispersed the mob using tear gas shells, lathi and rubber bullets, said the report.
The record said that even use of tear gas shells and rubber bullets, lathi charge could not disperse the students.
During the police action, one student of Ananda Singh Academy received serious injury and he was evacuated to nearby a hospital for treatment.
It may be recalled that a case number 205 (7) 015 PRT-PS was registered under Sections 147, 148, 149 and 353 IPC and nothing was mentioned about Sapam Robinhood as the victim of police action.
The source further added that the principal of Ananda Singh Academy had submitted her Oral Statement on Wednesday.
She placed the exact numbers of students who were present on the day of the incident before the commission.
The commission is likely to record the statements of the next witnesses on October 16.It may be recalled that the Government of Manipur on July 25 appointed a single member Commission of Inquiry to probe into the death of Sapam Robinhood under Justice Binoykumar Singh, former judge of Gauhati High Court.
The commission was to complete the inquiry and submit its report within three months from the date of issue of the notification.
The terms of reference of the Commission include to probe into the causes and circumstances leading to the death of Sapam Robinhood; to inquire whether there are any excesses or lapses on the part of security personnel on duty and identify such lapses or excesses and to recommend corrective measures and remedies to prevent recurrence of such incident in future.