Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, November 08:
The director of education(s) Ayekpam Shamungou who was kidnapped by activists of the underground Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (Oken group) nearly two weeks back was released by his captors today after shooting him in the leg as punishment for alleged involvement in corruption.
Shamungou, who was abducted on October 27 last, was released near Telhou, under Lamlai police station at around 6:45 pm.
He sustained a single bullet injury in the left thigh and was evacuated to RIMS hospital by the local people this evening.
He is stated to be out of danger.
Earlier today, during a meeting with the press somewhere in the Imphal area, a spokesperson of the KYKL(O) charged Shamungou with involvement in corruption and in other shady activities inside the education department.
The spokesman, who said the goal of the KYKL's Operation New Kangleipak task force was to cleanse the education department and ensure effective quality education, charged that some people have been using the department as a form of business over the last many years, and that it has Become a hotbed of mass corruption that has led to the downfall of quality education in the state.
He said Shamungou had been abducted by the task force members on October 27 because he had rejected repeated requests by the KYKL for a meeting.
The spokesman disclosed that the KYKL had asked Shamungou for a meeting on July 20 last in connection with the stripping of teachers from the hill and rural areas who were being transferred to Imphal and the urban areas, but Shamungou refused and tried to get the KYKL members arrested.
Another request for a meeting was made on August 20, but this too was rejected.
He added that there were allegations that Shamungou had claimed that such irregular transfer of teachers had been done on the instructions of the KYKL(O).
The spokesperson further charged the director that he had taken bribes of Rs 1.5 lakhs to Rs 2 lakhs from various candidates who appeared in the DPC held in 1999 for filling up the vacant posts of 164 Hindi teachers.
Other members of the departmental promotional committee, of which Shamungou was the chairman, were also involved in bribe taking, the spokesman said, naming former education minister L Tomba, ex-MoS, S Rajen, additional director Dr Ch Jayenta, deputy director Th Lokhon, and joint director, Hindi, S Geeta Devi.
He said they should surrender within a month from now.
The spokesman maintained that corruption in the department has led to the destruction of the education system as numbers of unqualified teachers have been appointed, and declared that in future the KYKL(O) would hand out capital punishment without any prior warning.
He said the KYKL(O)'s task force was intent on carrying through its objective of ensuring a clean and efficient education department.
It would also make sure that funds allocated to the department were utilized for development activities.
A Shamungou, who was produced at the press meet, agreed that most of the allegations made against him by the outfit were true.