3 brothers held on charge of killing chief
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 09 2022: Manipur police on Wednesday arrested three brothers allegedly involved in the killing of Naphai village chief Zilhem Khongsai who succumbed to bullet injuries on June 7 after he was shot by unknown persons near his residence the previous day.

The arrested persons have been identified as Thangkhohao Khongsai (37), Jamlal Khongsai (40) and Paomang Khongsai (36) of Naphai Village.

They are the sons of late Jilkhojam Khongsai of the same village, who was the brother of the deceased chief (Zilhem Khongsai) .

Addressing a press meet today at Manipur police headquarters at Babupara, Additional DGP (Law and Order, Range�I) Clay Khongsai informed that the three brothers had admitted committing the crime following a family feud over chieftainship while maintaining that the deceased was their paternal uncle.

He further said that Jamlal Khongsai is a cadre of KLO/KLA, a Kuki militant group which is under the Suspension of Operation with the State Government.

Asserting that the three accused persons were arrested on June 8 at around 3.30 pm, the ADGP maintained that the same accused persons had been remanded to police custody till June 17 (10 days) after they were produced before the Court.

Clay Khongsai went on to inform that three licensed SBBL guns which were suspected to be used in killing the chief have also been seized from the possession of the accused persons and added that the investigation is underway.

Mention may be made that Naphai village Chief Zilhem Khongsai (60) s/o (L) Thongthang Khongsai was shot twice in the stomach a few meters away from his residence at Naphai village after he was called out by unknown persons at around 11.30 pm of June 6 .

He succumbed to the bullet injuries the next day at around 1.15 am at Saikul Community Health Centre where he was rushed for treatment.

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