Discovery of human skulls, skeletal remains : FIDAM, HRA withdraw PIL
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 07 2015: The PIL filed by the Family Members of the Involuntarily Disappeareds' Association Manipur (FIDAM) and Human Rights Alert (HRA) on December 29 last year after skeletons and human skulls were recovered from the compound of erstwhile Tombisana High School have been withdrawn, said HRA executive director Babloo Loitongbam.

Speaking at a press conference held at Manipur Press Club, Babloo Loitongbam said that the first hearing of the PIL was held in room number-2 of the High Court of Manipur before a Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Laxmikanta Mohapatra and Justice Nobin today.

He said that during the course of the hearing, the Advocate General told the litigants that the State Cabinet had decided to hand over the case to CBI on December 29 .

The unearthed human skulls-File photo

Observing that filing a PIL at this stage is premature, the AG requested the litigants to withdraw it for the time being suggesting them to file a fresh PIL when the Government fails to take up positive steps in compliance with the Cabinet decision, Babloo added.

He said that the State Government has failed to issue a Gazette notification on the issue even after the lapse of nine days since their Cabinet decision.

As such, it is suspicious whether the Government is trying to divert the issue by simply taking a Cabinet decision, he said.

FIDAM president K Ranjit said that they would decide future steps after the association listens to the points suggested by the families of disappeared persons.

In this regard, FIDAM members would visit these families soon, he added.

In addition to the 20 persons who had been reported traceless, there are many other unreported cases both in valley and hill districts, he added.

FIDAM convenor Md Baniyamin said that whereabouts of his elder brother is not known to anybody after he was pulled up by security forces in 1999 .

Regarding the incident, his family filed a case at the Imphal Bench of Gauhati High Court in 2000, he added.

Md Baniyamin said that however no positive outcome could be witnessed so far although the Gauhati High Court directed the CBI to investigate the incident in 2005 .