Imphal, December 28: The Upendra Commission of Inquiry probing into the June 18 and July 20 incidents has recorded the statements of MR jawans who were the security escorts and house guards of Speaker Dr S Dhananjoy, Lok Sabha MP Th Chaoba and ex-MLA M Okendra.

With this the Commission has completed recording statements of witnesses of the June 18 incident.

The probe has recorded the statements of 61 Commission witnesses.

One MR jawan who was on duty at the official residence of Th Chaoba in his statements claimed to have heard the noise of a huge crowd coming from Sanjenthong at around noon on June 18.All the escort personnel were on full alert with their weapon at the gate of the MP�s residence, he sad adding that Chaoba with his escort party left without talking to them by that time.

Later a mob intruded into the gate of Chaoba�s quarters and torched it by hurling bottles containing petrol and kerosene.

The MR guards however did not open fire as they thought that it would be useless, he testified.

The MP�s residence was reduced top ashes within one hour, he said adding that he had in his life never seen the movement of that kind of a huge crowd.

Another MR personnel who was the guard commander of the official residence of ex-MLA M Okendra also testified before the Commission that as he saw Th Chaoba�s residence burning he ordered other jawans to remain in full alert.

At about 1 pm M Okendra along with his family members and six other MLAs came towards them and said that his quarters might be attacked by the mob.

As suggested by him, Okendra and other six MLAs took shelter inside the security barrack.

The crowd thereafter smashed the gate and began braking up the flower pots and chairs.

Comment