Mobile tower care-taker shot dead in front of wife, son
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 05 2011:
A Reliance BTS mobile tower caretaker has been shot dead in a brutal manner in front of his wife and son last night by an unidentified gunman.
The victim Oinam Borbabu (35) of Wangkhei Wangkheimayum Leirak was reportedly taking a rest at around 8.15 pm yesterday when the lone gunman barged into his bedroom and opened fire from close range even as his wife and a young son watched helplessly.
Hit by a bullet on the left upper cheek, a profusely bleeding Borbabu alias Achou alias Marks was taken to JNIMS Hospital and then to Shija Hospital but succumbed to the injury later late in the night.
Besides being a caretaker of the private mobile service provider's BTS tower, Borbabu was a conch artiste an essential component during religious ceremonies of the Meitei community-said a police source while talking to The Sangai Express.
Narrating the event, the victim's twin brother Sotobabu alias Mojesh said one BTS tower each of the Reliance and Airtel companies are installed at their plot with the deceased brother employed as caretaker of the Reliance tower and himself as the Airtel caretaker.
He stated that out of two unidentified persons that showed up last evening a taller individual of the two entered his room with the other entering his brother's room.
While the taller one moved out of the room, along with the keys of an air-conditioned room where machines were housed, on being told that the Airtel tower operation had been stopped due to 'prohibition', a gunshot could be heard from the room which the other gunman had gone in, recounted Sotobabu.
On the otherhand, Borbabu's wife Sandhyarani Devi said her fervent plea to the unidentified gunman failed as her husband was shot and fatally wounded.
The bereaved wife wailed as to whether the ongoing movement is to kill people or simply extort money.
It is also informed that earlier on March 18 night Borbabu was called out from home by an unidentified person who tried to shoot him.
However, he shoved away the assailant's gun and ran into the house thus avoiding possible casualty.
A statement issued by one Yaiphaba of KCP's IPR Department had claimed the said shooting incident then.
Meanwhile, locals recounted that two individuals in a numberless grey colour Honda Activa scooter came in search of Borbabu last evening.
The same two pulling out a small weapon also herded in and locked up about five locals, who were watching television, inside the building of Wangkheimayum Leirak Apunba Committee, which is located near the gate of the victim's house.
Four mobile phone handsets and a torchlight were also taken away by the two persons.
In the meantime, Sotobabu said moments after hearing the gunshot he rushed out of his room and saw the two unidentified persons open fire in air before disappearing from the place.
In connection with the killing of Borbabu, a JAC has been formed followed by submission of a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh demanding arrest of the assailants within three days.
Even though police stopped attempt by a group of people led by Yaiskul AC MLA E Suraj to march toward the Chief Minister's bungalow to hand over the memorandum at Sanjenthong (bridge), the local representative and a JAC delegation were allowed to proceed and meet the CM.
Among others, the JAC representation urged the state Government for an alternative means of livelihood to the victim's wife and her three children.
In case of callousness on the part of the Government to the demand, the corpse would not be claimed and instead intense agitation would be launched, the memorandum mentioned.
A case has been registered at Porompat police station in connection with the incident while the body is being kept at JNIMS morgue.