Athuan could have been saved: Uncle
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 27 2021:
Dikhonang Abonmai, an uncle of Athuan Abonmai, has stated that his nephew could have been saved and the culprits involved in the incident arrested, if the security forces deployed in the area on that fateful day acted swiftly and searched for his (Athuan) whereabouts.
Speaking to newspersons, Dikhonang Abonmai of Tamei recounted that the family received news of Athuan's abduction from Go to Hills function organised in Tamenglong district headquarters, which was physically attended by the CM.
Immediately on receiving the news, he (Dikhonang) contacted a close relative in the district for confirmation.
Although the relative was initially unaware, she later confirmed the news but was unable to find out where Athuan had been taken by the armed abductors.
After confirming the news, Dikhonang contacted Athuan's ancestral home at Lamlaba, following which the locals barricaded the road while awaiting news of his nephew's whereabouts.
Later, some group of people in a Maruti Gypsy started driving towards the closed road but made a U-turn immediately and sped away.
Suspicious of the movement of the Gypsy, the nearby Pallong village was contacted and the villagers were asked to shut down all the possible roads that the Gypsy could take to escape.
Dikhonang continued: 'A woman coming along Pallong village informed him that she heard painful moans of a man in a Gypsy, following which the whereabouts of the Gypsy was traced.
Later, in the evening, the Gypsy was found abandoned near a stone cruiser in Pallong.
An extensive search operation was carried and Athuan's body was found dumped in a nearby area".
Remarking that Athuan or anyone for that matter, could have been saved by security forces if they acted swiftly after knowing of abduction by unknown persons; Dikhonang lamented lack of action on the part of the security forces.
He further rued that police did not come to collect the body on the day of discovery but did so only on the following day.