Despite Army denying killing three Manipuri youths...Captain recommended for gallantry award
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 01 2018:
Even though army had denied killing three Manipuri youths to the Nagaland Police in the course of an investigation into the sudden disappearance of the three youths, the Commanding Officer of 3 Corps Intelligence and Surveillance Unit allegedly recommended a Captain of the same unit for Sena Medal for successfully eliminating the three youths who were said to be PLA cadres.
Speaking to media persons at the Jupiter Yambem Centre, Keishampat today, former Chairperson in-charge of Manipur Human Rights Commission and Kangleipak Kanba Lup (KKL) advisor Yambem Laba produced a document supposedly written by the then Commanding Officer of 3 Corps Intelligence and Surveillance Unit to the army authority which recommended Captain Rubina Kaur Keer for her role in eliminating the three PLA cadres.
The confidential letter sent by Commanding Officer Col G Shrikumar on June 11, 2010 mentioned that Captain Rubina Kaur Keer was deployed in insurgent infested areas under Operation Orchid.
According to the confidential letter, the three PLA cadres namely Th Naobi, RK Roshan and Th Prem alias Romen were eliminated after meticulous planning at 7 Mile, Dimapur.
Apart from eliminating the three PLA cadres, large quantity of arms, ammunition and warlike stores were recovered in the dare devil operation, the letter reported and recommended Captain Rubina Kaur Keer (SS-43767A) for Sena Medal (Gallantry) for her perseverance with regard to intelligence acquisition, meticulous planning and utmost dedication to duty.
On receiving reports that the three youths were arrested and killed by 3 Corps Intelligence and Surveillance Unit based at Rangapahar, Dimapur, families lodged an FIR with Nagaland Police.
On being enquired by Nagaland Police, the army authority denied arresting or killing the three youths.
Nonetheless, the Gauhati High Court issued an order for re-investigation into the incident.
The Gauhati High Court issued the order in connection with a pending case pertaining to the same incident, Laba said.
He went on to claim that Major T Ravi Kumar of 3 Corps Intelligence and Surveillance Unit wrote to the GOC of the same unit on March 12, 2010 that the three Manipuri youths who were said to be PLA cadres by the army were killed behind the army officers' mess but the army authority swept the matter under the carpet.
He further urged the Government of India and the army authority to take up befitting action against such secret, cold-blooded murders.