JAC, victim's wife negate police claim
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 01 2012: Killing of one Sukham Naobicha of Sekmai Laipat by police commandos at Lamdeng Khunou has evoked strong protest from the victim's wife and JAC formed in connection with the incident.

A sit-in-protest was also staged from around 9 am till 4 pm at Sekmai Bazar today while shop-keepers downed shutters during the protest as a mark of solidarity.

Speaking to newspersons on the sideline of the protest demonstration, 23-year old Naobicha's wife Jevanlata (19) said her husband went out of home at around 7 am of July 30 telling her that he would purchase a 'walker' for their child after clearing the dues he owed to an ice-cream dealer.

As no response was received when the first call was made at around 10 am, Naobicha seemed disturbed when contact was finally possible on the fourth call, recounted Jevanlata while informing that Naobicha's voice also sounded shaky.

Even though the conversation ended abruptly, Jevanlata said she continued to dial Naobicha's cellphone which for the second time was responded on the 21st call at around 7 pm.

Sit-in-protest against the killing of Naobicha

However, the voice on the other side was not Naobicha's and there were sounds that resembled commotion, she maintained and added that the cellphone remained in switch-off mode.

After daybreak, a distant relative staying at Lamshang and identified as Komol rang up with the information that two corpses are laying at the hill-lock near Lamdeng Khunou.

Upon subsequent enquiry by family members at RIMS morgue one of the bodies turned out to be Naobicha's while the other was not known, she maintained.

It is informed that Naobicha used to work at the quarry in Sekmai changing his profession to pulling hand-cart and then selling ice-cream at sekmai Bazar to support the family.

Naobicha also left behind a 10-month old baby girl.

Even as Jevanlata demanded that a high level investigation be ordered in connection with the killing and initiate exemplary punishment against police commandos responsible for slaying her husband, convenor of JAC Against the Killing of Sukham Naobicha Singh Awang Sekmai namely Thounaojam Sanjit strongly objected to the commandos' claim that Naobicha was slain in an encounter.

Claiming Naobicha as an innocent civilian, Sanjit maintained that the victim had no connection with any armed groups.

The JAC also submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister and Home Minister with the demand that a judicial enquiry be ordered and the guilty Imphal West district police commandos pulled-up for appropriate punitive action.

The convenor also asserted that Naobicha's body would not be claimed in case the demands are not translated into action within three days.

In case of failure to positively consider the demands, intense agitation would be launched, he added.

Representatives of UCM, UPF and MAPI Council were also present during the protest demonstration.