Family of slain Naphai chief flays 'uncorroborated' media report
Source: Chronicle News Service

Kangpokpi, June 08 2022: The family members of Naphai village chief, who was gunned down by unknown persons on June 6 midnight, have refuted reports in some section of the media about the killing.

Strongly censuring the media reports, the deceased family termed the reports as inappropriate and defamatory' in nature.

Thanggin Khongsai, the eldest son of the village chief, regretted that the brutal killing of his father Zilhem Khongsai has been misleadingly reported by some media by twisting the Khongsai matriarch's heartbroken statement to suit narrow interests as if she laid the blame on banning poppy cultivation for the brutal killing.

It was a concocted report made by some propaganda media which is highly inappropriate and defamatory in nature", the son said.

He recounted that when his mother was asked about any suspicion leading to the killing of her husband, she merely told the media that her husband was part of the meeting called by the local MLA in May wherein pledge was taken to support the state government's 'War on Drugs' .

The chief reportedly apprised the villagers and village authority about the outcome of the meeting.

"However, some media twisted her statement and reported it as if imposing the ban on poppy cultivation was the factor behind the killing of my father Zilhem Khongsai", he added.

"Such misleading reports are truly upsetting and traumatizing, to say the least", Thanggin said.

While the Naphai Village Authority and the deceased family strongly condemned the alleged misleading report in the strongest term, they also demanded clarification from media houses concerned at the soonest.

Informing that the case has been transferred to the competent authorities who are currently investigating the matter, the Naphai Village Authority and the deceased family urged individuals and organisations, especially, the media not to indulge in unfounded reports regarding the case until the investigation is completed and the culprits apprehended.

Meanwhile, KNO/KRA and KLO/KLA, which are signatories of the Suspension of Operations agreement and holding tripartite talks with the Governments, operating in the Saikul area warned the culprits involved in the brutal killing of the Naphai village chief to surrender within 5 pm of June 10 .

The body of the village chief is still lying unclaimed at RIMS morgue as the family and the village authority decided not to claim the same until the culprits are booked or surrender.

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