Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 06, 2009:
Two young women have been rescued virtually from the jaws of death by Simol villagers.
The two women were about to be awarded death penalty by the KNA, a party to the SoO pact, when timely intervention by the villagers saved the women.
The incident took place on August 29. Speaking to media persons at her native village of Lonpi in Chandel district this afternoon, Honeichong Haokip (21) d/o Khupsei Haokip said that she went to Churachandpur on August 28 to take back a mobile phone handset left there for repairing.
She put up the night at Churachandpur at her friend Mary's house.
Honeichong and Mary were apprehended by KNA cadres from Tuibong the next morning and taken to Bijang Vengnom where they were subjected to questioning.
The two women were charged that they came to Churachandpur on an assignment of the CID.
Then the KNA cadres took the two women to Simol village to talk with one of their leaders.
There Honeichong and Mary were kept in a house which appeared like a cow-shed.
Besides tying their hands, the two women were also blindfolded.
Accusing them of working for the CID, the KNA cadres threatened that they would be killed there.
At this, Honeichong and Mary wailed and shouted for help.
On hearing them, the local villagers came to their rescue.
This compelled the KNA cadres to flee, Honeichong recounted.
Honeichong and Mary were detained at Simol village till 11 pm of August 29. Three mobile phones and Rs 15,000 in cash were also taken by the KNA cadres, she said.
Khupsei Haokip, Honeichong's father, asked whether the SoO ground rules permit the KNA to go on harassing and threatening people.
He also appealed to the Government to take up necessary actions against the KNA for violating ground rules.
Alleging that the KNA has accustomed to misbehaving with women, Khupsei said that KNA cadres raped and murdered a woman at New Somtal in 1995 when annual sports festival was being held in Dingpi area.
This was followed by rape of two women by cadres of KNA's Green Post at Cheljang village in Chandel district in November 1997.Another 18 year old girl Lamkholhing Baite was raped by KNA cadres at T Lailoiphai village where the girl came to celebrate Christmas from Imphal on December 31, 2007, Khupsei said.
After the rape incident, KNA cadres gave Rs 40,000 to the family with a threat that the incident should not be disclosed to any one.
No one disclosed the incident for fear of the KNA, he added.