Charge framed in Paraolon ambush
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 17 2019:
Special Judge, NIA Manipur, framed charges against three co-accused in the Paraolon Chandel ambush case, yesterday.
The three co-accused are Moirangthem Nimaichand alias Rakesh alias Laloi alias Tapan Rai (23) s/o Ranjit of Ningthoukhong Kha Leikai, Naorem Premkumar alias Van Damme (33) s/o Ibomcha of Kakching Irum Mapal and Anil Rai alias Anil Sharma alias Meiraba (24) s/o (L) Keshav Sharma of Sekmai Bazar.
The Special PP submitted that at around 8.30 pm of July 4, 2015, a joint team of militant outfits suspected to be cadres of NSCN-K, KYKL, KCP Noyon faction, armed with sophisticated weapons and ammunition, attacked a convoy of 6th Dogra regiment of the Indian Army, killing 18 soldiers and grievously injuring 15 others at Paraolon village, Chandel district.
Following the attack, the Ministry of Home Affairs directed the NIA to take up the investigation of the case and accordingly NIA registered a case.
During the course of investigation, NIA and the State police arrested Naorem Premkanta on January 12 last year and on interrogation Premkanta revealed that he kept a 9 mm pistol along with five live ammunition rounds in his residence and the same was recovered and seized by the joint team.
Premkanta was then taken to the incident site where he categorically identified and pointed out the spot from where the ambush was laid, apart from his position during the ambush as well.
In further course of the investigation, Moirangthem Nimaichand was arrested by Bishnupur district police in connection with another case and during examination, he was identified as Tapan Rai of KCP and it was also revealed that he was also involved in the Paraolon ambush.
Further Nimaichand revealed that after the attack, they (the joint outfit cadres) returned to Myanmar on July 8, 2015 .
Later, Anil Rai was arrested by a combined team of NIA and State police from Maphou Dam on March 7 last year and he revealed that he also took part in the ambush stating that he fired several bullets from his rifle during the ambush and fled from the spot with a different group before assembling in a location inside the jungle, far away from the ambush site.
Thereafter they reached Myanmar by travelling through the jungle but left behind two members identified as Rajalung alias Raja of NSCN-K and Amit of KYKL, after the ambush.
The Court, after hearing the Special PP NIA and defense counsels, framed charges against the three individuals under different sections of the IPC.
It may be mentioned that on July 10 last year, NIA had submitted supplementary charge sheet in connection with the ongoing trial of the Paraolon ambush case, after the charge sheet of the case was submitted on December 19, 2015, along with a list of 65 prosecution witnesses before the Special Court NIA Manipur.
In the charge sheet, it was submitted that the ambush, which killed 18 personnel of the 6th Dogra Regiment, was laid by a joint group of 17 individuals belonging to different outfits.
One of the accused of the case, Khumlo Abi Anal alias Ambition Anal of Lambung village, Chandel was arrested soon after the case was registered by NIA from Lamphel Sanakeithel area and is presently lodged at Sajiwa Central Jail.
It may be mentioned that after the attack, the MHA handed over the investigation of the case to NIA on June 6, the same year.
The next day, June 7, a team of NIA launched necessary investigations by visiting the incident site and other locations.
During the investigation, NIA concluded that the ambush was laid by a joint UG group and named 17 individuals belonging to various UG outfits in connection with the case.
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